Comparing and contrasting Richard Henry Pratt’s “Kill the Indian, Save the Man” speech with the works of Zitkala-sa provides a unique opportunity to closely examine one high-impact moment of oppression in history through a very personal lens. As both pieces of writing reflect the perspectives of individuals, it creates an extremely impactful look into this dark time in history. Pratt’s speech flagrantly illustrates the oppressive and self-aggrandizing way of thinking that was made popular during this time period, while Zitkala-sa’s pieces provide a realistic view into the barbaric means by which Pratt’s glossy ideas of assimilation were executed. Both of these accounts when read together provide readers with a deeper understanding of the racism that our country was built upon while also providing a general case study showcasing the various factors that come into play across almost every instance of racism our country has seen and continues to see.
“Kill the Indian, and Save the Man” contains countless examples of ignorance and white supremacy that it becomes to difficult to unpack all of it. However, I think one of the most telling excerpts throughout the entire piece is when Pratt reflects upon white people’s treatment of African Americans:
“Horrible as were the experiences of its introduction, and of slavery itself, there was concealed in them the greatest blessing that ever came to the Negro race—seven millions of blacks from cannibalism in darkest Africa to citizenship in free and enlightened America; not full, not complete citizenship, but possible—probable—citizenship, and on the highway and near to it” (Pratt).
It is within these lines that one can fully understand just how delusional Pratt and the white people he was addressing must have been in order to speak and believe such nonsense regarding the torture and mistreatment of thousands of people. It is truly shocking to hear white people reflect upon slavery and manage to pat themselves on the back for providing “the greatest blessing that ever came to the Negro race.” The vast majority of the general public of today’s society are aware of the severe mistreatment that African Americans went through during the many years of slavery, which is partially why this excerpt is so eye-opening. I think the torture and oppression that white people have inflicted upon Native American societies is less understood and talked about, which is why it Is interesting to hear Pratt comparing these two groups. He speaks about slavery as if it is aspirational. He speaks as though he hopes to oppress Native Americans in a similar fashion, so the end result is similar. The idea of using slavery as a blueprint for any institution is a jarring notion.
Pratt makes his self-righteous ideas about Native Americans abundantly clear through his characterization of them as “savages”—a term he uses a lot.
“It is a great mistake to think that the Indian is born an inevitable savage. He is born a blank, like all the rest of us. Left in the surroundings of savagery, he grows to possess a savage language, superstition, and life. We, left in the surroundings of civilization, grow to possess a civilized language, life, and purpose. Transfer the infant white to the savage surroundings, he will grow to possess a savage language, superstition, and habit. Transfer the savage-born infant to the surroundings of civilization, and he will grow to possess a civilized language and habit” (Pratt).
It is in this excerpt that Pratt makes, what he seems to think is a brave and progressive point, that Native Americans aren’t inherently savages, but they are raised by savages and therefore become savages. He paints white people as heroes in this instance, as he does in all other instances, by suggesting that if Native Americans were to be raised by white people, within their culture, that they will in turn be rewarded with a civilized life. It is through this sentiment one can understand that Pratt’s largest motivation throughout this entire speech is sheer ego. He is unable to fathom a world in which his way of life, his customs and beliefs, are not the pinnacle of what is required of a civilized society.
While Pratt’s sentiments were sufficiently chilling, Zitkala-sa’s pieces provided even more heart-wrenching insight into the horrors that were inflicted upon this innocent group of people. There are countless moments of abuse and hardship that would refute Pratt’s optimistic ideas of what assimilation looks like, however the one moment from her writing that best epitomized the degradation that she was put through comes from the chapter centering around her hair:
“I cried aloud, shaking my head all the while until I felt the cold blades of the scissors against my neck, and heard them gnaw off one of my thick braids. Then I lost my spirit. Since the day I was taken from my mother I had suffered extreme indignities. People had stared at me. I had been tossed about in the air like a wooden puppet. And now my long hair was shingled like a coward’s! In my anguish I moaned for my mother, but no one came to comfort me. Not a soul reasoned quietly with me, as my own mother used to do; for now I was only one of many little animals driven by a herder” (Zitkala-sa).
This incredibly impactful paragraph accomplishes two things. First, it shows the reader the deep psychological impact that comes from emotional oppression. This scene was not violent and Zitkala-sa was not physically harmed, however the deep psychological repercussions of this act are made obvious in the last sentence of that excerpt. Second, it showcases how different cultures place significance on different things, and how that can be weaponized against someone. In the culture of white people, one’s hair does not hold much significance. However, the above excerpt shows that is not the case for Zitkala-sa. The significance of long hair in this culture is something that should be understood and respected, as it is part of what makes Native American so rich, however the physical act of chopping her hair is a physical expression of the assimilation that white people are forcing upon Zitkala-sa. They may even be ignorant to how substantial this haircut was to this young girl, which makes the act so much more senseless.
Zooming out slightly, these two perspectives juxtaposed against one another provide an interesting look at what factors are frequently in play in cases of extreme oppression. Pratt showcases that at the root of most cases of oppression is ego and an unwillingness to accept the differences of others. Instead of learning about how others live or trying to create harmony, oppressors force their beliefs on everyone around them and inflict punishment upon those who do not oblige There is also an unwillingness to learn about other perspectives. As seen in the hair example by Zitkala-sa, the oppressor was unwilling to learn respect for another culture and they use that ignorance to fuel their hatred instead of fostering respect for one another. These factors were at play in the oppression of the Native Americans generations ago and still remain the root causes of the oppression that is seen in contemporary society and will continue to do so for generations until fundamental changes are made to the way people approach those who are different from them.
Works Cited
Pratt, Richard H. “‘Kill the Indian, and Save the Man’: Capt. Richard H. Pratt on the Education of Native Americans.” HISTORY MATTERS – The U.S. Survey Course on the Web, historymatters.gmu.edu/d/4929/.
Zitkala-sa. “AmericanIndian Stories.” American Indian Stories., digital.library.upenn.edu/women/zitkala-sa/stories/stories.html#school.
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