Columbus’ voyage marked a new page of mankind history and his contributions
and achievements are passed on from generations to generations. We are familiar with
the story about how this brave voyager led his team to find the new continent and his
great effort to explore the new area is praised. The story The Encounter actually
interprets the story from a different angle, speaking for the voices unheard. I would
like to make a comparison between the two versions and analyze the critical attitudes
behind it.
In the time when shipping and voyage skills are highly developed, Portugal and
Spain start to compete with each other trying to search new areas waiting to be
colonized and tapped. They are trying to create new cruise lines and look for gold and
spice. The brave sailor Columbus who believes that the earth is round offered to
search for new lands, expecting to arrive at Indian and China which is believed to be
the heaven of gold and fortune. Although his voyage is full of hardship and struggle
with nature, he succeeded to reach the American continent on August 3, 1492. When
they finally got to their dream land, they were welcomed by the Native Americans
whom were thought to be Indians. These Native Americans were depicted as
uncivilized habitants. They are half naked and their faces are painted in different
colors with colorful feather as head decorations. Since Columbus thought their team
arrived at India, he named all of these original people Indians. The Indians watched
these new comers with alert. In order to ease their concern, Columbus ordered his
team member to give their glass-ball necklace to the natives and the natives felt no
harm from strangers and accept them with food and water. Columbus’ new discovery
is a huge leapt in human history, paving the way for further explore. His spirit is
highly praised which is an inspiration and encouragement for future generations to
explore the unknown area. The story line is taught to me when I was in high school as
a world history major. I remember I have to memorize the important motivation, dates
and historic achievement of Columbus’ sail. Columbus is pictured as a hero in our
textbooks who set a milestone in mankind’s expanding history. He not only brought
hope for world communication but also presented uncivilized Native American to the
world. There is no follow-up story about Native Americans in our history textbooks,
only how human beings reached further and further thanks to Columbus’ discovery. It
is the larger-than-life image of Columbus image that is left in our heart. We have no
clue for what happened to the so-called Indians as it is not in our textbooks. Later
when our world history teacher mentioned that part of history, he only used two or
three sentences to give us a slightest clue about what happened after the encounter.
The tribe of Native American is dying out since Europeans start to claim the
American continent as their own land in their pursuit of a reason to cover their
ambition. Anyway, the story is always about glorious effort of Columbus while none
of the passages or articles develops the storyline in the eyes of Native Americans.
The book Encounter is the very first book I get to know the story from a different
voice I have never heard before, a young Native American boy. The boy’s dream set
the tone of the story, trying to convey the hidden message that Columbus’ arrival
would prove to be a nightmare to Native Americans. Every detail is perceived from
the angle of Native Americans. Just like their clothing, their actions and their skin
color, all of these foreign elements are odd to Native Americans, making them
wonder whether the Columbus team is true men. But it is their custom to welcome
strangers. The Native Americans gave Columbus team tobacco leaf, taught them how
to fish and exchanged gifts in spite of the child’s warning. But the child can see
through their smiles and see into their hearts when the new-comers showed their
interest in their golden nose rings and armbands instead of the flesh of their faces or
arms. Even though the strangers brought with them sharp spears, rounds pools and
darts, the Native Americans were given none of these. All of this is a sign. The Native
Americans choose to ignore the warning, leaving a sad ending to the whole story. At
the end, the little kid grew into an old man, witnessing their tribe lost everything to
the strangers. The story is told in the way of monologue of a Native American boy. It
is a completely new picture to see how Native Americans’ reactions and endings after
the first encounter. The boys’ words are simple but powerful. “We were patted upon
the head as a child pats a yellow dog.” is a vivid example of image comparison
between the two sides. The story is not like the common ones giving praise for
Columbus and exalting his image. The story speaks for the suppressed voices that are
from the weak group and have long been neglected. I always feel sad when I look at
the last picture- the old man and sea. None of the Native Americans would have
predicted they are going to reconcile themselves to that kind of fate. In return of their
favor and welcome, the new-comers eventually became the invaders. The Native
Americans end up with paying a high price, losing their land, language even their
descendants. After I read the boy’s life-recording story, it arouses my compassions for
the suffering of Native Americans which weigh a lot heavier than heroic achievement
of Columbus’ team.
The encounter story falls into the category of critical literacy. It breaks the
constraints and stereotypes that have colonized people’s mind for a long time. For all
the literature I have read in the past, Columbus and his team has always been the key
figures in this history-making encounter. Their contributions and achievements have
been amplified so much that people get used to turn a blind eye to the cry of Native
Americans. But this piece makes readers realize that not everything is about the
European pioneers. This piece makes us feel related to the fright and sad emotions of
Native Americans. Native Americans find echoes of readers by allowing us to listen
to the little boy’s inner cry. They are no longer primitive tribes waiting to be civilized.
They are warm-hearted people who welcomed these parrot-like people and gave them
everything. These book challenges both the physical appearance and larger-than-life
image that are considered as the main stream. Telling the story from the other side
gives readers a chance to make their own critical judgment and form their own
opinions through the comparison of attitudes and actions between the two sides. The
cost of glorious world expansion is the loss of land, language and even identity of
Native Americans. Since the world expansion represents the benefits of the majority
and the class in power, voices of minority group like Native Americans are neglected.
The encounter raises readers’ awareness of the minority voice. This short story
inspires me to teach a different kind of story in the way of critical thinking. History is
created and written by people and it cannot totally be objective. It sometimes
represents the values and benefits of certain group. To let my students approach
history in a critical way, I would ask them to do a background research all by
themselves first and list what they found about that period or incident based on the
search. Then I would divide them into several groups to discuss with each other,
listing different opinions and perspectives they think are important. Then each group
will be asked to give the whole class a presentation about their discussion and other
group members can take down notes if they find that point inspiring or they disagree.
Later, every student will get the materials that describe the main plot of history we are
discussing. After reading it, students will be asked to write a short reflection about the
development of that historic incident, what they learned from the incident and their
own judgment of that incident. Learning is always about sharing. Students will then
sit in a round circle and share their reflection during which individual students are
encouraged to challenge and supplement.