THE INDIAN OSAGES
To compare the ideas in these three texts about Indians in three different points of view, I need to see how they described the characteristics of Indians individually.
As we see in the text by Francis Parkman, the author gives a transparent description of Indians which implies that their ruling passions are revenge, jealousy and ambition and these are overpowering instincts with the Indians. He expresses that Indians are proud and inflexible men who are suspicious of treachery in others, they hide their emotion with an iron self control in their social and family lives. In another part, the writer says that Indians are cut out of a rock. This is the most destroying description that one person can give about some one else that he or she is empty of any sense or emotion ;it seems as if Parkman wants to consider the Indians apart from humankind and they are wild creatures that deserve no respect.. In all parts of this text we see the persistence of opposing against Indians ;although, Parkman tried to admire some behaviors in Indians but he himself ruins all of them by the way he describes them.
The second text by Washington Irving is completely different description about the Indians from what Parkman indicated. In Irving's idea the Indians are not as bad as they seem to be and he believes that if we encounter some violence in them it has a logical reason and that is the manner of whites toward them. He preferred to demonstrate his positive perspectives toward the Indians by telling a story that he himself experienced it and this is a suitable medium to compare the whites with the Indians. He states that the Osage Indians are civilized people and thrived in consequence. They are intelligent men who know how to protect themselves against their enemies. As the story is advancing he introduces a young Indian as a model of Indians who is a frank open-air youth. He is considered as a trustworthy man to take a safe trip with; however, the frontiersman insisted on the Indians' dishonesty and claimed that they stole his steed. However, Irving made all his attempt to persuade the readers that Indians are totally different from what the whites think and claim. The Indians are independent people who are free from the chains that bind them like slaves.
"Among the Osage Indians" is another text by Irving that proves the positive characteristics of Indians. In spite of the whites' supposition, he describes the Indians as civilized groups who are talented to make improvising songs. They are social men and they are not taciturn, unbending and emotionless people. On the contrary, they gather in groups and entertain themselves with the most animated and lively conversations. Moreover, they lament at their graves and respect their dead friends and relatives. They possess keen and watchful eyes and they are described as curious observers. All these things about Indians show that they are nice people and losing them brings a lot of regrets to any one even the whites.
