Journal 5

Common Theme

A common theme in both "An Indians Looking Glass" by William Apess, and "Indian Names" by Lydia Sigourney is the prevelance of the Native American names during the time period, even though for the most part the race is starting to die off. Both speak of how Native Americans cannot be forgotten, even if many times prejudiced white men would prefer it to be so. Of course the two authors come from very different backgrounds, William Apess being a Native American from Massachusetts, and Lydia Sigourney a white woman from Connecticut.

Sigourney wrote in her poem, "Yes say, they all have passed away/ That noble race and brave... But their name is on your waters, you may not wash it out" (1-5). Many Americans of the time period believed that eventually there would be no more Native Americans. That the race would vanish, either because they were not "strong" enough to survive in a White Man's world, or because they would be assimilated. But, as Sigourney points out, they were the first people of this land, every single river and mountain was named by them first. Sure, White people renamed many, but how many more still hold their ancestral name?

Apess' piece was from a religious standpoint. He asks questions that I can't help but wonder how White People of the time would have responded to. How would a White Person of the time have answered, "I ask, would you like to be disenfranchised from all your rights, merely because your skin is white, and for no other crime?" (641). Apess switched the tables on everyone, and proved a necessary point, how can White People justify their prejudiced based on something as inconsequential as skin color? He points out merely by writing this piece that Native Americans are still there, that they cannot be ignored, and they deserve fair treatment.