Ceilie's Essay #6

Ceilie Moore
Mr. Salsich
9 English
November 12th, 2008

A Man Who Remembers:

An Essay About An Essay and Its Author's Past

1. There are people in this world that have a lack of respect when it comes to their culture’s origins. 2. They are ashamed of where they come from and try to shake off their past, as though it is possible. 3. As I read the essay, “The Way To Rainy Mountain” by N. Scott Momaday, I realize that Momaday is clearly not one of these ignorant people. 4. Instead of thinking of the sacred lands he came from as nothing more than ancient dirt, Momaday sees the soil of his native Oklahoma as ancestral grounds that should be respected and appreciated.
TS Momaday is a Kiowa Native American and it is very apparent (FAST) from the way he talks about his homeland that he respects where he came from. SD The main thing it seems Momaday appreciated about his culture is the actual land that he came from. CM “The highland meadows are a stairway to the plain[…] The sun follows a longer course in the day, and the sky is immense beyond comparison”, says Momoday when describing his native land. CM This description proves that Momoday is passionate and respects the beauty of this land. SD There is another instance in which Momoday reveals his admiration (FAST) and respect for the Oklahoman land. CM Momoday says, “And this, you think, is where Creation was begun.” CM I think in this statement, the author is trying to say that the land he stands on has so much history and so many stories behind it, you think of it as an ancient ground where the creation of the earth was started. SD Another aspect of Momoday’s past that he appreiciates is his grandmother, who is the main reason he travels back to his homeland of Oklahoma. CM “She never forgot her birthright”, states Momoday when talking about his grandmother. CM I like how he says this because it shows how similar he and his grandmother are, never forgetting where they came from. CS In the end, I think Momoday’s respect for his family and heritage is inspiring and the way he writes about it is even more influential. 

1. You and your family’s past is something that should never be pushed aside and ignored. 2. Heritage is one of those things that should be understood, respected and cherished by everyone. (Three-Action Sentence) 3. If you forget where you came from, or never even learn about it, you are essentially missing a part of who you are-your background. 4. Momoday not only understands his culture, but he goes as far as to revisit it and write about it, proving his past truly means something to him.