Introduction
The novel House Made of Dawn, first published in 1968, was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1969. With the incorporation of Native materials into the Anglo-American novel Momaday introduced the Native American Renaissance at the end of the 1960s. And, indeed, as one of the first contemporary Native American writers Momaday employs on the one hand traditional oral tales, fragments of poetry and historical documents. On the other hand House Made of Dawn illustrates his “Western” fascination with structure, a literary device almost absent in oral storytelling or traditional Native American literature. The novel makes use of multiple points of view, stream-of-consciousness techniques, sudden changes of time and chronology, which are primarily achieved by flashbacks and flashforwards. Momaday’s delight in imagery, especially of nature, reflect his study of Romantics’ and Symbolists’ work.
The book’s content, as well as that of other works by the author, is a reflection of Momaday’s personal identity and the various cultural traditions that shaped it. The following literary analysis will therefore focus on the embedding of aspects of Momaday’s identity and try to explain some of the cultural elements interwoven in the story. As the author repeatedly employs autobiographical materials, a short representation of his past seems indispensable.
Due to the designated size of this paper, a detailed analysis of all interesting and noteworthy aspects seems impossible. Also, with regard to the interrelatedness of form and content, there won’t be subdivisions separated by headlines within the analysis.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Analysis
3. Conclusion
4. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this paper is to provide a literary analysis of N. Scott Momaday’s novel "House Made of Dawn," specifically examining how the author integrates his personal mixed-blood identity and various cultural traditions into the narrative structure and character development of the work.
- The influence of Navajo, Kiowa, and Jemez cultural traditions on the novel's thematic framework.
- The correlation between the protagonist Abel’s journey and the structure of the Navajo Night Chant.
- The role of the character Tosamah as a literary personification of the author and his views on language.
- The synthesis of oral storytelling techniques with "Western" literary devices.
- The impact of historical and autobiographical elements on the protagonist’s search for cultural identity.
Excerpt from the Book
2. Analysis
The action of the novel House Made of Dawn takes place between July 20, 1945 and February 28, 1952. The narration begins with a brief undated prologue which is an anticipation of the final scene. It describes a man named Abel running in the countryside of the Southwest. The narration further comprises four dated sections set in the pueblo of Walatowa, New Mexico, and the Los Angeles area.
The prologue turns the novel into a very complex, four-part flashback. It opens with the word Dypaloh, a Jemez Pueblo conventional form for beginning a story. The word suggests that Momaday wants the reader to regard this novel as a traditional story, possibly aiming at teaching a moral. The Jemez opening formula as well as the following paragraph beginning with “There was a house made of dawn.” are an indication of Momaday’s intention to design the text and tell his story “[…] after the fashion of nonliterate, oral Indian storytellers.” At the same time the language used in the prologue, but also in the further course of the novel, is often highly descriptive and carefully selected - an indication of Momaday’s formal training in literature and his appreciation for language and writing, but also his belief in the power of the word.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the significance of "House Made of Dawn" within the Native American Renaissance and outlines the paper's focus on the interrelation of Momaday’s identity, cultural traditions, and literary structure.
2. Analysis: This section examines the novel’s four-part structure, the significance of the Navajo Night Chant as a blueprint for the protagonist’s healing, and the role of characters like Tosamah in reflecting the author's personal history and linguistic philosophy.
3. Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the main findings, emphasizing that the novel is a complex blend of oral tradition and Western literary forms that illustrates the challenges of maintaining a multifaceted cultural identity.
4. Bibliography: A comprehensive list of the academic sources and literary criticism referenced throughout the analysis.
Keywords
House Made of Dawn, N. Scott Momaday, Native American Renaissance, Navajo Night Chant, Cultural Identity, Mixed-blood, Hozho, Oral Tradition, Tosamah, Literature, Symbolic Structure, Pueblo, Walatowa, Autobiography, Language.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this literary analysis?
The analysis focuses on N. Scott Momaday’s novel "House Made of Dawn," exploring how the author blends his own personal identity and diverse cultural heritage into the narrative.
What are the primary themes discussed in the paper?
The central themes include the search for cultural identity, the power of language, the significance of traditional ceremonies, and the collision between tribal and Western worldviews.
What is the main research question of the study?
The paper investigates how Momaday incorporates elements of his mixed-blood identity and cultural traditions into the novel’s form and content to illustrate the protagonist's struggle.
Which scientific methodology is employed in the work?
The author uses a literary analysis approach, drawing on structural observations, mythological comparison, and biographical context to interpret the novel.
What topics are covered in the main analysis?
The main part analyzes the prologue, the Navajo hero pattern, the function of characters like Tosamah and Ben Benally, and the ritualistic aspects of the plot.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Key terms include Native American Renaissance, cultural identity, Navajo Night Chant, oral tradition, and literary symbolism.
How does the Navajo Night Chant influence the novel's structure?
The novel mirrors the progression of the Night Chant ceremony, which is a therapeutic process designed to restore balance and health (hozho) to the protagonist, Abel.
Why is the character of Tosamah considered significant?
Tosamah functions as a literary personification of Momaday; he acts as a trickster figure while simultaneously articulating the author's deep reverence for the sacred nature of language.
How is the protagonist Abel’s struggle with identity depicted?
Abel is portrayed as alienated and inarticulate, reflecting the difficulty of reconciling his traditional Tanoan roots with the experiences of a contemporary, often hostile environment.
- Quote paper
- Anja Dinter (Author), 2001, Native American Literature - An Analysis of Navaree Scott Momaday’s "House Made of Dawn", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/75123
