Analysis of A Coyote Columbus Story by King and History Lesson by Armstrong Free Essay Example, 1250 words

It is quite essential to state that Armstrong s History Lesson is presented from an omniscient point of view, giving the reader a sense of intimate knowledge and detached perspective as if watching a movie from the top of the sky. Out of the belly of Christopher s ship / a mob bursts (Armstrong, 1-2). The sense that the image is being presented metaphorically is conveyed as this mob goes Running in all directions / Pulling furs off animals / Shooting buffalo / Shooting each other / left and right (Armstrong, 3-7). There were not enough men on Columbus ships to have accomplished this, nor did they spend enough time in the new world to have participated in much of this, but through Columbus ships, the Europeans determined to conquer and claim this pristine paradise. The bare facts of events are presented, but given a new viewpoint, the viewpoint of what can be seen without an understanding of capitalist commerce. Between the snap crackle pop / of smokestacks / and multi-colour ed rivers / swelling with flower-powered zee / are farmers sowing skulls and bones / and miners / pulling from gaping holes / green paper faces / of smiling English lady (Armstrong, 21-29). From this detached, otherworldly narrative perspective, the activities of these small people, openly and avidly destroying the very structure upon which they depend is utterly baffling to the reader thus removed. Despite the differences in a narrative style, both works provide an unmistakable Native American viewpoint. King makes this clear through his use of characters, Coyote is a symbol familiar to most American tribes in some form, as well as in the way he sets the story in opposition to the traditional story told about Columbus. Christopher Columbus didn t find America, I say. Christopher Columbus didn t find Indians, either. You got a tail on that story (King, 293). As the story progresses, it is told with a beginning that occurs prior to Columbus arrival with the introduction of th e Indians as playmates for Old Coyote. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of A Coyote Columbus Story by King and History Lesson by Armstrong or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now