Monday, June 9, 2008

A friend talks about her:
Zahra is the sweet girl that you always wish to be friends with. She is beautiful and happy. She likes to go out and have fun all the time. A completely trust worthy girl and truthful even if telling the truth leaves her waist deep in trouble. I’ve never seen her cry. It seems that she is not the crying type of girl! She is very outgoing, you can talk about almost everything with her and never see the “I don’t like it” face. When it comes to the kitchen, she is the master. She cooks everything so delicious that you never forget the great taste of it. She likes English literature very much and likes to study it all the time. One thing! Do not expect her to act cool when she is stressed out!
Indians

“The Indian Character” by F. Parkman and “Among the Osage Indians in 1832” by Washington Irving, represent two contrasting views of the American Indians.
Irving has high opinion of Indians. He appreciated their appearance and their frank demeanor. As he says: “As the Osage drew near, I was struck by his appearance. He was about nineteen or twenty years of age, with the fine Roman countenance common to his tribe.” or “I compared the open, noble countenance and frank demeanor of the young Osage with the frontiersman.” But Parkman describes the Indians in his way “Nature has given the Indians a hard and stern countenance.”
As Irving mentions, Indians were eager to take part in the universal fondness for coffee and they relish it. In Parkman’s point of view the Indians will not learn the art of civilization and he disapproves their stern and unchanging mid.
As Irving had an opportunity of seeing Indians in their real life, he says that they are by no means the stoics that they are represented. He believes that their taciturnity and unbending is because of the fact that they do not trust white men and do not understand their language, but Parkman gives description such as “The Indians character are overcast by much that is dark, cold, and sinister, by sleepless distrust and burning jealousy.” or “ He hides all emotion with an iron self-control.”
Irving represents Indians as great mimics and buffoons when they are among themselves. He says that half their time is taken up in talking over their adventures in war and hunting and he witness their emotions both in mirth and at the death of a relative or friend, but Parkman claims that Indians hide all their emotion.
In my opinion Irving’s point of view is more positive and acceptable. He describes Indians like other human beings. He does not have that much prejudice towards Indians. I like the way he pictures Indians and Osage’s life.