the world is “An Indian Father’s Plea,” by Robert Lake. A quote from the story is, “Although you in Western society may argue that such a method serves to hinder motor-skill development and abstract reasoning, we believe it forces the child to first develop his intuitive faculties, rational intellect, symbolic thinking, and five senses” (Lake 76). The first part of the quote is a concession because people in Western society, such as the teacher Lake is writing to, don’t understand how an Indian baby basket is effective.
He is refuting the concession by explaining how an Indian baby basket will help Wind-Wolf. He explains this by using this quote, “As he grew older, Wind-Wolf began to crawl out of the baby basket, develop his motor skills, and explore the world around him” (Lake 76). This quote shows how the baby basket helped Wind-Wolf gain his skills. These Native American traditions will shape how Wind-Wolf views the world.
Another quote that shows this is, “He will respond this way not because he doesn’t know how to count properly, but because he has been taught by our traditional people that there are 13 full moons in a year according to the native tribal calendar and that there are really 13 planets in our solar system and 13 tail feathers on a perfectly balanced eagle, the most powerful kind of bird to use in ceremony and healing” (Lake 77). This quote shows that the way Wind-Wolf is taught affects how he thinks.
He learns things by experience. Everything Wind-Wolf is taught is part of his culture, and his culture affects the way he views the world. According to the stories, “By Any Other Name,” “Two Kinds,” and “An Indian Father’s Plea,” a person’s culture can affect the way they view others and the world. When you meet someone with a different culture, don’t judge them or view them differently because of their culture because their culture is what makes them unique.
