A Comparison of "the Mystery of the White Man" and "i Am a Native of North America"

Harold Cardinal's essay, "The Mystery of The White Man" and Dan George's

essay, "I Am a Native of North America" both deal with the issue of the way Natives

and their culture are treated by white North American's. Each authour approaches the

subject in a different manner but emphasizes the differences between the two cultures

and many faults of those in the white way of life. The essays shed light on the hypocrisy

of white people and how much could be learned from Aboriginal people's morals and

values. Although each essay is written with a different tone they are very similar in many

ways.

In "I Am a Native of North America" George uses a reflective tone that is

considerably less angry than that of Cardinal in his essay. George writes about the

differences between the values and lifestyle he experienced growing up and those of

white North Americans. He discusses a few things that white people do well but focuses

on the many faults they have and how they could be changed by simply learning about the

Aboriginal's culture which they have refused to do. In his essay he emphasizes that the

main thing white culture is lacking is love of creation. George's essay states that he

wishes whites would learn from the Native culture before it is too late and white values

have taken over as that is already happening.

Cardinal's essay, "The Mystery of The White Man" is written in quite an angry

tone. He writes about all the problems that white people cause and how hypocrytical

they are. Cardinal does say that white people have done some good things but that the

few things they did do had been done by Native people before. He speaks about the

prejudice of whites towards Aboriginals and how many Native people do not speak out

about it but should. Cardinal ends by speaking about all that could be learned from the

Native culture by the whites.

The main difference between the two essays is in the tone. Cardinal uses a very

angry unsympathetic tone while George seems more understanding and sympathetic.

Cardinal speaks of his culture as the better of the two throughout his essay and belittles

the ways of the white people but George seems