A grown up Zitkala-Sa, reflects on the incident about cutting of her long hair and is conflicted that she did not do enough to resist and surrendered easily. She also wonders if she could have tried something else to prevent the incident.
As the grown-up Zitkala-Sa, create a diary entry , expressing these thoughts and conclude by absolving yourself of any blame.
You may begin like this:
I find myself reflecting on an event that happened many years ago… (Memories of Childhood)
Answer:
I find myself reflecting on an event that happened many years ago , when I was a young girl at the boarding school for Native Americans . It was the day when they cut off my long hair , which was a symbol of my **identity and pride** as a Sioux. I remember how I felt humiliated and violated , and how I tried to resist and hide from them. But they found me and dragged me to the barber's chair, where they chopped off my hair without mercy. I felt like they had killed a part of me , and I cried out in pain and anger.
I still wonder if I could have done something else to prevent that incident. Maybe I could have run away from the school, or fought back harder, or appealed to their sense of justice. Maybe I could have convinced them that my hair was sacred and important to me, and that they had no right to take it away from me. Maybe I could have saved myself from that trauma and humiliation.
But then I realize that it was not my fault . I was just a child, and they were the adults who had the power and authority over me. They were the ones who were wrong and cruel , not me. They were the ones who tried to erase my culture and identity, not me. They were the ones who should be ashamed and sorry, not me.
I have learned to forgive myself for what happened that day. I have learned to accept myself for who I am, with or without my long hair. I have learned to be proud of my heritage and my spirit , which they could not cut off or destroy. I have learned to move on with my life, but not forget my past.
Step-by-Step explanation by Teachoo:
- To write this diary entry, we need to understand the main plot and character of the story 'Memories of Childhood' by Zitkala-Sa.📚
- We need to use a personal and informal tone , and write from the perspective of Zitkala-Sa as an adult. We need to express her thoughts and feelings about the incident of cutting her long hair at the boarding school. We need to use the first person point of view and the past tense .🖋️
- We can start the diary entry by introducing ourselves and the event that we are reflecting on. We can mention when and where it happened, and why it was significant to us.👋
- We can then write about our emotions and reactions during and after the incident.🗣️
- We can then write about our doubts and regrets about the incident. We can wonder if we could have done something else to prevent or stop it. We can imagine different scenarios or outcomes that could have happened.🤔
- We can then write about our realization and acceptance of the incident. We can acknowledge that it was not our fault, and that we were not to blame. We can also affirm our self-worth and pride, and show that we have overcome the trauma and humiliation.😊
- We can end the diary entry by expressing our hope and wisdom for the future. We can show that we have learned from our past, but not let it define us. We can also show that we have not forgotten our culture and heritage, but embraced them.👏
