The message that Grandpa’s dialogue reveals to the reader is that staying connected with one’s heritage is important. He emphasizes the significance of the old ways and the guidance sought from the Great Spirit, suggesting that despite the challenges faced by his people, maintaining a connection to their traditions and customs can provide support and direction.
Read this excerpt from “The Medicine Bag.”
“My father in his early manhood,” Grandpa began, “made a vision quest to find a spirit guide for his life. You cannot understand how it was in that time, when the great Teton Sioux were first made to stay on the reservation. There was a strong need for guidance from Wakantanka, the Great Spirit. But too many of the young men were filled with despair and hatred. They thought it was hopeless to search for a vision when the glorious life was gone and only the hated confines of a reservation lay ahead. But my father held to the old ways.”
What message does Grandpa’s dialogue in this excerpt reveal to the reader?
New generations need their own customs and traditions.
Young men should continue making vision quests.
Living in the past leads to despair and hopelessness.
Staying connected with one’s heritage is important.
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1 answer