Novel: Mean Spirit

A detailed Summary of Novel: Mean Spirit

Mean Spirit

With oil being discovered on Native American property in Oklahoma during the early 1920's, it was a chance for whites to get rich and it was the start of the demise of a stable Native American civilization. As a result of the Dawes Act of 1887, reservations were divided into plots given among the Indians. The plots gave each Indian 160 acres of land, which they were supposed to farm for 25 years and then they would become citizens of America. The land that was left over was to be sold to the public. The plots that were giving to the Indians were discovered to be occupied with enormous amounts of oil that was worth a lot of money. Whites had a huge impact on Native American life by taking their, and land trying to make Indians more " European like." The Indians were giving the land that was filled with oil, and the oil seekers would do anything to get a hold on the oil lands, which had a devastating affect on the Indians. "Between 1887 and the 1930's, Indian landholdings dwindled from 138 million acres to 52 million."(A People and a Nation pg.323) Law's were passed which allowed mixed-blood people on reservations to be able to sell their land not having to obey the Dawes act twenty five-ye

The whites looked at the Native Americans, as being as being barbarians, they wanted to convert them to be more acceptable, and be able to live life as civilized people. " They act like animals going to slaughter"(Mean Spirit pg. 132). They knew that the older Native Americans could not be changed, so they looked toward the children who stilled had a chance to change. The government came up with a boarding school program in which Indian children would be forced to be sent away to learn white culture, even if was against their will. " The Indian agent signed an order sating that Nola would have to appear on Monday mourning or she would be picked up by the sheriff...."(Mean Spirit pg.123) What they believed was that what the kids learned at school would be brought back to their homes and spread throughout their families and communities. Although the government thought that this would be a good idea, it was very harmful to the children. They were drawn to a whole new world, and it tough for them to change their culture since they were brought up from something totally different. " The government's policy had other harmful effects on Indian's ways of life. The boarding school program educated thousands of children, but most returned to their families demoralized and confused." (A People and a Nation pg.323)

The novel Mean Spi

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 933
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History