Monday, March 23, 2015

Reading Diary A: Blackfoot Stories

Blackfoot Stories 

Two Fast Runners: This story had its own unique writing style that was slight, but noticeable because of the short length of the story. For example, this sentence shows the style I am referring to: “So they agreed that they would have a race to decide which could run the faster, and on this race they bet their galls.” Instead of simply saying, “which could run faster,” the word the is inserted to give attention to the word faster. It made me realize how small changes can really make a difference to a reader, even if you think it is too minor to notice.  

I also had to look up the word gall to make sure I knew what the two animals were talking about as they bet who could win the race. I was correct that the word gall stood for gallbladder, but I never knew that when the name of that organ is shortened, it is referring to an animal’s gallbladder instead of a humans’.


The Wolf Man: I noticed the author mentioned what a piskun was in the author’s note. This was a helpful hint because I find myself constantly looking up the meaning of words sprinkled throughout different texts.

The man moved away from his wives to a butte. When taking Geology last semester, I learned about buttes, so if you can believe it, my Geology class helped me better understand my Mythology and Folklore class.


Man, those two wives were brutal and clearly possessed seared consciences! It made me happy though to see animals come to man’s rescue instead of the other way around. The idea of a punishing society makes me think it was the Indian’s primal form of a government or court system.

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