Woodcraft Boys at Sunset Island

Woodcraft Boys at Sunset Island
Author: Lillian Elizabeth Roy
Publisher: Good Press
Total Pages: 195
Release: 2023-10-27
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN:

In 'Woodcraft Boys at Sunset Island', editors Lillian Elizabeth Roy and May Folwell Hoisington present a compelling anthology that explores the intricate dance of youth, adventure, and the timeless call of nature. This collection, steeped in the early 20th-century ethos, brings together narratives that vary widely in stylefrom the earnest and introspective to the buoyantly adventurousshowcasing the richness of outdoor experience through the eyes of its young protagonists. This anthology stands out not just for its thematic coherence but for the remarkable way it captures the spirit of an era when engagement with the natural world was both a rite of passage and a foundational aspect of character development. The contributing authors, Roy and Hoisington themselves, are not merely curators of this collection but are instrumental in shaping its thematic direction. Their works embody the principles of the Woodcraft movement, which emphasized a return to nature and the development of self-reliance and personal growth through outdoor skills and conservation ethics. This movement, reflective of broader cultural and literary undercurrents of their time, finds a resonant echo in the varied tales of adventure and self-discovery that populate this anthology. The authors' deep engagement with these themes offers readers a nuanced exploration of youth's relationship with nature, imbued with the historical and cultural contexts of the early 1900s. 'Woodcraft Boys at Sunset Island' is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the intersection of youth literature, environmental education, and historical cultural movements. The anthology provides a unique lens through which to explore the values and challenges of a bygone era, inviting readers to reflect on the continuous relevance of these themes in todays world. For educators, scholars, and enthusiasts of early 20th-century literature, this collection offers a rich tapestry of stories that not only entertain but also educate and inspire, fostering a deeper appreciation for the transformative power of nature in shaping young lives.

Playing Indian

Playing Indian
Author: Philip J. Deloria
Publisher: Yale University Press
Total Pages: 271
Release: 2022-05-17
Genre: History
ISBN: 0300153600

The Boston Tea Party, the Order of Red Men, Camp Fire Girls, Boy Scouts, Grateful Dead concerts: just a few examples of white Americans' tendency to appropriate Indian dress and act out Indian roles "A valuable contribution to Native American studies."—Kirkus Reviews This provocative book explores how white Americans have used their ideas about Native Americans to shape national identity in different eras—and how Indian people have reacted to these imitations of their native dress, language, and ritual. At the Boston Tea Party, colonial rebels played Indian in order to claim an aboriginal American identity. In the nineteenth century, Indian fraternal orders allowed men to rethink the idea of revolution, consolidate national power, and write nationalist literary epics. By the twentieth century, playing Indian helped nervous city dwellers deal with modernist concerns about nature, authenticity, Cold War anxiety, and various forms of relativism. Deloria points out, however, that throughout American history the creative uses of Indianness have been interwoven with conquest and dispossession of the Indians. Indian play has thus been fraught with ambivalence—for white Americans who idealized and villainized the Indian, and for Indians who were both humiliated and empowered by these cultural exercises. Deloria suggests that imagining Indians has helped generations of white Americans define, mask, and evade paradoxes stemming from simultaneous construction and destruction of these native peoples. In the process, Americans have created powerful identities that have never been fully secure.