Zitkala Sa

Throughout these chapters you really feel her age as a factor, I mean the perspective that she is writing the "Impressions of an Indian Childhood" there's an overall sense of innocence and freedom yet she tries to act older, and usually shows age doing it. In the the first chapter "My Mother" one totally sees the freedom that she posses, just with her activities but the reader learns of the harsh realities of the paleman and what has come from their movement into the Natives land. She develops a quick hatred for them, but its a childish hate because its quickly formed and because her mother expresses such feelings for it. I'm not saying that the feelings are without good cause, just that there without backing because of her age and experience with the subject. Also with the chapters "The Legends and The Beadwork" you can see the traditions start coming through within the writings. How she waits for them to tell the legends that will someday give her a sense of culture and home, but for right now they serve merely for entertainment, she doesn't realize what she's really hearing. "The Beadwork and The Coffee-Making" can over lap in showing how she tries to act older and take the responsiblities that she will one day be in charge of doing. When she begins the beadwork like her mom she has to stay with simple patterns because of her attention span kicks in. Also it talks about their playing, and you once again feel how free she is, especially in spirit. With he coffee-making she knows she's suppose to be a good hostess and what she is expected to do yet she falls short because her lack of experience. Her very innocence is shown because she doesn't even pick up on her fault or the quick stab at her skills by the visitor and her mom. Lastly in the chapter "The Dead man's Plum Bush" child selfishness (not sure if word haha) is seen because her blantant disregard for the ill older lady because the feast is more exciting and even picking the plums without thinking of why they are there.

I think throughout the writings her innocence and freedom is definitely present, just with her activities and how she views everything. But like with all younger kids she tries to act older than she is, yet falters when put to the test. It's expected most younger kids try but its very easy to see within the writings.