Fools Crow

Michael Bichanich

Native American Literature

Critical Analysis on ‘Fools Crow’

Since the beginning of time, mankind began to expand on traditions of life out of which family and societal life surfaced. These traditions of life have been passed down over generations and centuries. Some of these kin and their interdependent ways of life have been upheld among particular people, and are known to contain key pieces of some civilizations.

Since these traditions have become apparent through centuries they are customary and have a tendency to lack individualism, as the group among which a person lives is seen as more important over the individual. In many parts of the world today, you can examine such cultures and see the ways that individuals offer themselves to family and community life.

Independence and selfishness are not standards in such communities or tribes, and consequently security results from selfless loyalty towards others in the tribe. This kind of attitude towards others that demonstrates allegiance to one’s people is prominent among people such as the Indians in the west.

It is these people that lived in tribes, and to this day, most of them remain devoted to their principles and their people. This is because of the fact that they recognize the significance of such values; they know what matters more, and having calculated individuality and its risks most of them are aware untying themselves from their people.

James Welch is an author who exhibits the significance of values in tribal life; he shows the audience the ideals that tribal life has as opposed to individuals disposing their families, tribes, and values.

In ‘Fools Crow’, this is something that he emphasizes on among the Black Food Indians. His work is set in Montana where there are villages of Indians and an draw for independence of the human being and financial growth that opposes hard work among the tribesman. This refers to the lures that had few individuals abandon their values and move on to a quick-paced life that caused them to reach a stage where they questioned themselves (Welch, 1991, 45-53).

In ‘Fools Crow’, Fools Crow is the central character. He is at a period in his life where he questions himself in a wistful daze about what he is; he wants to find out what his place is in this world and what is meaningful to him. He explores among his dedications to his people and among the potentials of breaking free and living a complete life without being interrogated by any one. He wonders about the white man’s societal life and even dreams of doing some of the things they do; the pleasures are always appealing to a young man, and Fools Crow, being a teenager thinks greatly about such amusement in a free life (Welch, 1987, 34-38). On