Analysis Of Dichotomy An Indian's Looking-Glass For The White Man

1267 Words3 Pages

Upholding the Bible and Christianity throughout William Apess: “An Indian’s Looking-Glass for the White Man”
There is an enormous dichotomy in the 1800s between what the White Christians say about equality of mankind and how the laws they create and impose affect that equality, specifically with the American Indian. William Apess was the first Native American to publish an autobiography, where he explained his life as a Native American and discussed the challenges he faced while attempting to conquer the Americans. In his 1833 essay “An Indian’s Looking-Glass for the White Man,” I will explain how William Apess holds up the teachings of the Bible and Christianity against the actions, laws, and behaviors of the controlling white establishment. …show more content…

He discusses the fact that the Indian women and children are in substandard housing with inadequate necessities while their men are away at sea. He further shares his opinion that those given charge, the “Agents,” are uncaring in regards to the Indians. They only seek to take and ravage the land. Apess also speaks on the disparity of education between the Indians and the whites. (380). This is where he begins the vehement statement of his argument that skin color is the main factor in terms of explaining why his lineage and culture is mistreated. The whites are contradicting theirselves, saying they believe and worship God’s teachings but not abiding by them. According to the scriptures and biblical teachings, there is no difference between people of different skin color in God’s eyesight. The differences are created in the minds and hearts of man, the white man, as documented by …show more content…

It is diplomatic in that he never directly blames the white man for any wrong doing. He simply use rhetorical questions based on the white man’s teachings and explanation of Christianity in reflective imagery to help the white man see himself. Apess crafts his words in such a manner that they are an indictment of hypocrisy and murder against the white man. He does not attempt to get the white man to see the maltreatment and horrid acts from his perspective but rather from the perspective of the white man, the Christian

Show More
Related

  • African-American Religious History

    1168 Words  | 3 Pages

    This paper elaborates on the diverse contributions peoples of African descent have made to the pluralistic religious landscape of America and replicates various passages from our textbook. It focuses on the personal narratives of non-religious to religious leaders—exemplifying their influence on the African American religious movement during slavery and the reconstruction of America. Each section represents different historical periods, regional variations, and non-Christian expressions of African-American religion.

    Read More

  • Summary Of An Indian's View Of Indian Affairs

    197 Words  | 1 Pages

    As I have read the primary sources, it became clear to me that African Americans and Indians wants to be treated equally and fairly. As I read "An Indian's View of Indian Affairs" by Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce, the main thing that caught my attention was "Treat all men alike. Give them the same laws." This caught my attention because he clearly talked about the way he was tired of white men having all of the authority and the chiefs who would always talk about equality or fairness, but fails to show it with their actions. Also, he went on to say that everyone should be treated as one because essentially everyone is one and was born the same way. Basically, his view was an argument to state that it's not right to treat one person better or

    Read More

  • The Removal of the Cherokee

    5744 Words  | 12 Pages

    In order to understand the lack of morality on the part of the United States, the actions taken by the group in favor of removing the Indians and their opponents needs examining. The seeds of the Indian Removal Act of 1830 are rooted in colonial times and continued to grow during the early years of the American republic. To comprehend this momentous tragedy we must first examine the historical background of the Indian '"'problem'"' and seek rationale for the American government"'"s actions. This includes looking at the men who politically justified the expulsion of the Cherokee nation and those who argued against it.

    Read More

  • Growing up Indian in a Predominately White World

    691 Words  | 2 Pages

    One of the hardest realities of being a minority is that the majority has a thousand ways to hurt anyone who is part of a minority, and they have but two or three ways to defend themselves. In Sherman Alexie’s short story The Toughest Indian in the World, Roman Gabriel Fury is a member of the Native American minority that makes up less than two percent of the total United States population (1.2 percent to be exact). This inherent disadvantage of being a minority, along with various cultural factors, influences the conflicted character of Roman Gabriel Fury and his attitudes toward the white majority. Through his use of strong language, demanding tone, and vibrant colors, Roman Gabriel Fury is able to reveal his complex feelings about growing up Indian in a predominately white world.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Voices From The Trail Of Tears

    1144 Words  | 3 Pages

    This first document is written by a white American who sympathizes greatly with the Cherokees. This document is comprised of excerpts from the journal of the Reverend Daniel Sabine Butrick. He is one of many missionaries who support Cherokee rights and feel very sorry for what the Cherokee people have to go through.

    Read More

  • Talking Back to Civilization

    1481 Words  | 3 Pages

    Talking Back to Civilization , edited by Frederick E. Hoxie, is a compilation of excerpts from speeches, articles, and texts written by various American Indian authors and scholars from the 1890s to the 1920s. As a whole, the pieces provide a rough testimony of the American Indian during a period when conflict over land and resources, cultural stereotypes, and national policies caused tensions between Native American Indians and Euro-American reformers. This paper will attempt to sum up the plight of the American Indian during this period in American history.

    Read More

  • Truth Exposed in An Indian's Looking-Glass for the White Man

    1768 Words  | 4 Pages

    William Apes, in his essay "An Indian's Looking-Glass for the White Man," argues that to profess Christianity and still distinguish between races is a hypocrisy not supported by the Bible. In the first part of his essay Apes asks several questions such as why, if God loves white people so much, did he create fifteen colored people for every white one; and of all the races, who has committed the most heinous crimes? He goes on to emphasize that neither Jesus nor his disciples were white skinned. He also questions the white person's right to control Native Americans. Apes asks his predominately white, Christian audience to reexamine their own prejudices and concludes his essay pleading "pray you not stop till this tree of distinction shall be leveled to the earth, and the mantle of prejudice torn from every American heart--then peace shall pervade the Union."

    Read More

  • Talking Back To Civilization Summary

    1150 Words  | 3 Pages

    Talking Back to Civilization: Indian Voices from the Progressive Era edited by Frederick E. Hoxie is a book which begins with an introduction into the life of Charles Eastman and a brief overview of the history of Native Americans and their fight for justice and equal rights, it then continues by describing the different ways and avenues of speaking for Indian rights and what the activists did. This leads logically into the primary sources which “talk back” to the society which had overrun their own. The primary sources immerse the reader into another way of thinking and cause them to realize what our societal growth and even foundation has caused to those who were the true natives. The primary sources also expand on the main themes of the book which are outlines in the introduction. They are first and most importantly talking back to the “pale faces”, Indian education, religion, American Indian policy, the image of the Indians presented in America. The other chapters in the book further expanded on these ideas. These themes will be further discussed in the following chapters along with a review of this

    Read More

  • Summary Of George Tinker's American Indian Liberation

    1098 Words  | 3 Pages

    In George E. Tinker’s book, American Indian Liberation: A Theology of Sovereignty, the atrocities endured by many of the first peoples, Native American tribes, come into full view. Tinker argues that the colonization of these groups had and continues to have lasting effects on their culture and thus their theology. There is a delicate balance to their culture and their spiritual selves within their tightly knit communities prior to contact from the first European explorers. In fact, their culture and spiritual aspects are so intertwined that it is conceptually impossible to separate the two, as so many Euro-American analysts attempted. Tinker points to the differences between the European and the Native American cultures and mind sets as ultimately

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast European Exploration And Colonization

    922 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this way the religion practiced by the Native Americans was taken as contradictions to Christianity. The natives were informed that Christianity was designed to be an eternal rule of significance and a means from which they could use to return to God from their religions that had deviated (Eliot par. 3). Through sermons given by Whitfield, the minds of the natives were engaged in religion and making religion the subject of most of their discussions. They embraced all the opportunities to hear what was been taught on Christianity. The Christian revivals were attended by the young and old alike (Edwards par.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Thomas King's 'The Inconvenient Indian'

    918 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Thomas King’s novel, The Inconvenient Indian, the story of North America’s history is discussed from his original viewpoint and perspective. In his first chapter, “Forgetting Columbus,” he voices his opinion about how he feel towards the way white people have told America’s history and portraying it as an adventurous tale of triumph, strength and freedom. King hunts down the evidence needed to reveal more facts on the controversial relationship between the whites and natives and how it has affected the culture of Americans. Mainly untangling the confusion between the idea of Native Americans being savages and whites constantly reigning in glory. He exposes the truth about how Native Americans were treated and how their actual stories were

    Read More

  • "Custer Died For Your Sins”

    861 Words  | 2 Pages

    Author and Indian Activist, Vine Deloria makes compelling statements in chapters 1 and 5 of his Indiana Manifesto, “Custer Died For Your Sins.” Although published in 1969 this work lays important historical ground work for understanding the plight of the Indian. Written during the turbulent civil rights movement, Deloria makes many comparisons to the Black plight in the United States. He condemns the contemporary views toward Indians widely help by Whites. He argues that Indians are wrongly seen through the historical lens of a pipe smoking, bow and arrow wielding savage. Deloria views the oppressors and conquerors of the Indian mainly in the form of the United States federal government and Christian missionaries. The author’s overall thesis is that whites view Indians the way they want to see them which is not based in reality. The behavior of whites towards Indians reflects this false perception in law, culture and public awareness.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of An Indian's Looking Glass For The White Man

    1492 Words  | 3 Pages

    In his essay An Indian’s Looking-Glass for the White Man, William Apess talks about the incompatibility of being a good Christian while still discriminating between races. He argues that this social hypocrisy is not supported by the Biblical text, or by Christian teachings. It is Apess’ belief that if God were to love white people as much as they believe, he wouldn’t have created fifteen colored people for every white one. He goes on to remind his white Christian audience, that it has been the white race the one who has committed the most terrible crimes in the history of mankind. Apess places emphasis on the fact the neither Jesus nor any of his apostles or disciples were white skinned. He also argues the right of the white man to control and subjugate the other races, more

    Read More

  • The Sovereignty and Goodness of God

    1260 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Sovereignty and Goodness of God is a primary source document written in the 17th century, by a well-respected, Puritan woman. This book, written in cahoots with Cotton and Increase Mather, puritan ministers, tells the story of her capture by Indians during King Phillip’s War (1675-1676). For three months, Mary Rowlandson, daughter of a rich landowner, mother of three children, wife of a minister, and a pillar of her community lived among “savage” Indians. This document is important for several reasons. First, it gives us insight into the attitudes, extremes, personalities and “norms” of the Puritan people we learn about in terms of their beliefs, and John Calvin’s “house on a hill”. Beyond that, despite the inevitable exaggerations, this book gives us insight into Indian communities, and how they were run and operated during this time.

    Read More

  • The White Negro Analysis

    2120 Words  | 5 Pages

    Essay 1: WRITE A COHERENT ESSAY IN WHICH YOU ATTEMPT TO EXPLAIN THE USE OF BLACK ICONIC IMAGES (AND OTHER ETHNIC IMAGES) TO SELL PRODUCTS AS THE ECONOMY OF MASS CONSUMPTION EXPANDED IN THE LATE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY. YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO INCLUDE IMAGES IN YOUR PAPER! During the 19th and 20th century, America –mostly white collar, middle class Americans- saw a great increase in salaries and a huge rise in mass production which paved the way for the modern American consumerism which we know today. The advertising scene saw a dramatic boost during that period and tried to latch on to this growing pool of emerging consumers. Although only limited to print, advertising during this pivotal period showed panache and reflected American society and popular culture.

    Read More

More about Analysis Of Dichotomy An Indian's Looking-Glass For The White Man

Open Document