Podcast
Questions and Answers
Who is the narrator?
Who is the narrator?
Kii Yazhi
What does his name mean?
What does his name mean?
Little Boy
Why did the Americans declare war on the Navajo Indians?
Why did the Americans declare war on the Navajo Indians?
They would not stop raiding the Mexicans who continued to raid their villages and turn their people into slaves.
What was the long walk?
What was the long walk?
Describe the conditions in which the Navajo were allowed to go back to their homeland.
Describe the conditions in which the Navajo were allowed to go back to their homeland.
How did Kii Yazhi and his uncle get to the school?
How did Kii Yazhi and his uncle get to the school?
What did the jewelry symbolize?
What did the jewelry symbolize?
Why wasn't it easy to understand the Navajo spoken by the children at the mission?
Why wasn't it easy to understand the Navajo spoken by the children at the mission?
How are the Navajo children taught to react to adults?
How are the Navajo children taught to react to adults?
Describe the white man who met the Navajo children.
Describe the white man who met the Navajo children.
Why did the white man think the children were being disrespectful to him when he was yelling at them?
Why did the white man think the children were being disrespectful to him when he was yelling at them?
What did Jacob Benally tell the children that shocked them?
What did Jacob Benally tell the children that shocked them?
Who was the white man who spoke to the children upon their arrival?
Who was the white man who spoke to the children upon their arrival?
What did he tell the children?
What did he tell the children?
Why did the Navajo consider their long hair to be sacred?
Why did the Navajo consider their long hair to be sacred?
What job did Mr. Reamer have?
What job did Mr. Reamer have?
What name was given to the narrator?
What name was given to the narrator?
What happened to Ned when he greeted Mr. Reamer with a Navajo greeting?
What happened to Ned when he greeted Mr. Reamer with a Navajo greeting?
What happened to the children who refused to stop talking Navajo?
What happened to the children who refused to stop talking Navajo?
Explain what happened to John Roanhorse.
Explain what happened to John Roanhorse.
How did Ned defy the teachers at the mission?
How did Ned defy the teachers at the mission?
Who was Jim Thorpe?
Who was Jim Thorpe?
Why did Ned resent the way the teachers treated him?
Why did Ned resent the way the teachers treated him?
How did having a goal make the time go faster for Ned?
How did having a goal make the time go faster for Ned?
What did Ned like about the Navajo High School besides its location?
What did Ned like about the Navajo High School besides its location?
What is ironic about Ned and his classmates collecting food for the poor people of Japan?
What is ironic about Ned and his classmates collecting food for the poor people of Japan?
What did the Japanese believe was their destiny?
What did the Japanese believe was their destiny?
Who did Japan form an alliance with?
Who did Japan form an alliance with?
What did the piece of paper in Ned's wallet say the Navajo Indians would do if needed?
What did the piece of paper in Ned's wallet say the Navajo Indians would do if needed?
What was the date of the attack on Pearl Harbor?
What was the date of the attack on Pearl Harbor?
What is a dunce cap?
What is a dunce cap?
Flashcards are hidden until you start studying
Study Notes
Characters and Context
- Kii Yazhi, meaning "Little Boy," is the narrator of the story.
- The American-Navajo conflict arose due to Navajo raids on Mexicans who enslaved their people.
Historical Events
- The Long Walk refers to the forced relocation of the Navajo to Fort Sumner, covering hundreds of miles.
- Upon returning home, the Navajo had to agree to obey American laws, abandon raiding, and adopt white customs.
School Experience
- Kii Yazhi and his uncle traveled to school by wagon.
- Jewelry given to the children represented their families' love.
- Children at the mission struggled to understand each other due to dialectical differences in the Navajo language.
Cultural Conflict
- The children were taught to respect adults and faced harsh treatment when they didn't understand the American schooling system.
- Red-faced adults reacted aggressively, leading to misconceptions about respect from the children.
- Principal O'Sullivan emphasized that all aspects of their Indian identity had to be forgotten.
Cultural Significance
- Long hair is revered by the Navajo as a protective symbol against misfortune.
- Mr. Reamer assigned new American names to the children, such as Ned Begay for Kii Yazhi.
- Speaking Navajo could result in severe punishment, including physical abuse.
Defiance and Resistance
- Despite restrictions, Ned continued speaking Navajo when teachers weren't present.
- The treatment of students was demeaning, with teachers underestimating their intelligence compared to white students.
Goals and Aspirations
- Setting personal goals helped Ned endure difficult times, providing him motivation.
- Navajo High School was preferable due to better education quality.
Irony and Perspective
- Ned found irony in collecting food for the Japanese, as his own people faced greater poverty.
- The Japanese believed their destiny was to control the surrounding land, forming an alliance with Germany.
War Context
- The Navajo expressed readiness to defend as Americans if necessary, as noted in a paper found in Ned's wallet.
- Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941, marking a significant event in American history.
Educational Practices
- A dunce cap was used as a form of humiliation for students in the school system.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
