A Study Of Zitkala-(?)a’s Literary Creation In The Light Of Orientalism

Zitkala-（?）a（1876-1938）is one of the representative Native American writers in the late 19^th and early 20^thcentury,whose literary creation attaches great importance to cultural heritage and ethnic cultural identity.Her work American Indian Stories,Legends,and Other Writings（2003）includes three different literary genres,namely Indian tribal traditional stories,autobiographical stories and essays.The author of this thesis contends that the creation of these literary genres shows Zitkala-（?）a’s unique narrative mode,which in fact is a manifestation of the major themes of her literary creation—the defense of the Indian cultural heritage,the establishment of ethnic cultural identity,and the criticism of American assimilation policies as well as the protection of Indian ritual and the Native people’s basic rights.In the light of Orientalism,this thesis explores how the narrative mode helps Zitkala-（?）a achieve her creative purposes.Firstly,through collecting old Indian legends about the Great Spirit,Native cultural symbols,tricksters and Sioux cosmology,Zitkala-（?）a inherits the old Indian cultures and challenges the stereotype image of the Native people created by the west.Secondly,autobiographical stories of Zitkala-（?）a’s personal growth show readers the Native landscape and education,which helps with the establishment of the Native cultural identity and the condemnation of the American assimilation policies.Finally,essay writing for Zitkala-（?）a is a more direct and powerful way to defend her Indian ritual and fight for the basic rights of her Native people.With her unique discourse,Zitkala-（?）a writes back against the American cultural hegemony.It is hoped that this study could provide a supplement to the interpretation of Zitkala-（?）a and her literary creation.