Influence Of American Indian Values Over Whites In Silko’s Gardens In The Dunes

Gardens in the Dunes, written by the Indian novelist Leslie Marmon Silko, is a novel about travel, in which the protagonist Indigo witnesses the positive influence of American Indian values over the Whites during her journey with the white couple Palmer. The novel is to be analyzed under the influence of American Indian values over the Whites in view of nature, money and family. The thesis is composed of five parts accordingly. The introduction provides a brief introduction to the author Leslie Marmon Silko, the novel Gardens in the Dunes, and the foreign and domestic literature review.Chapter one analyzes the influence of the American Indian value over the Whites in view of nature. American Indians are reverent toward nature that they have deep love for plants and animals in the sand dunes. In their eyes, animals and plants are equal with people to share the nature resources, and people should make friends with them. Grandma Fleet worships nature and firmly obeys American Indian tradition. Under her influence, Indigo and Sister Salt also love plants and animals.Yet the Whites try to impose on nature and they mistreat plants and animals. Without fully considering the growth law of plants, Susan disobeys the law of nature and destroys nature. Finally, the Whites are assimilated by American Indians in view of nature so that they attempt to understand the intimacy between people and animals,and they have hearty love toward nature. The White botanist Edward Palmer begins to smuggle plants before his marriage. He almost loses his life in one of smugglings yet he does not learn a lesson from it and still goes against the law. Edward’s sister Susan artificially changes her garden into the blue one just in order to meet her vanity.During the transcontinental journey with Indigo, the couple Palmer are influenced by Indigo and American Indian values in view of nature. Edward gradually understands the intimacy between Indigo and animals and even gives Linnaeus, who has once saved his life and means a lot to him, to Indigo as a present. During the daily contact with Indigo, Hattie also begins to notice plants and animals, and finally she hashearty love toward nature.Chapter two analyzes the influence of the American Indian value over the Whites in view of money. American Indians hold an abstemious view toward money.Grandma Fleet teaches Indigo and Sister Salt to be satisfied with the present life and put no emphasis on money. Another Indian woman “the Button Maker” takes Indigo in when she is lost. After Indigo is found, Edward tries to thank “the Button Maker”with the material wealth and suffers rejection. Differently, the Whites are money-worshiped, they regard money as the bridge to link people relationships and many of them fanatically pursue material benefits. Edward and his sister Susan fight over property rights and ignore their sister-brother relationship. In addition, the real intention of Edward inviting Hattie and Indigo to the transcontinental journey is to cover his crime in smuggling so that he can gain immense economic benefits. Finally,the Whites begin to reflect their view of money. In consequence, they realize that people should not be slaves to money and there are things which are much more important than money. Hattie becomes more generous and the White Wylie in the reservation begins to weaken the money concept and emphasize brotherhood under the influence of his American Indian partner Candy.Chapter three analyzes the influence of the American Indian value over the Whites in view of family. American Indians have the prioritization of family.Grandma Fleet always puts family first and appreciates Sand Lizard People. Indigo sticks to reunite with family no matter how tough it is. Yet the Whites ignore the importance of family. As the only living person who has the blood relationship with Edward, Susan does not show her face after Edward dies away in a strange place.Moreover, in the couple relationship with Hattie, Edward puts most his energy into his job and neglects the heart-to-heart conversation with his wife. Finally, the Whites receive edification from American Indians in view of family that both Wylie and Hattie return to their social circle and family in a real sense.The conclusion is that the Whites representative by Hattie and Edward are indeed influenced by American Indians representative by Indigo in the view of nature,money and family. The Whites begin to pursue the way to get on with nature in a harmonious relationship. They are no longer pursue material wealth and realize that emotions among people are the biggest wealth.