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CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
This chapter answers the problems formulated in the first chapter. There are four elaborations in this analysis to answer them: the portrayal of Little Tree as seen in
the novel; the characteristics of Cherokee education and the characteristics of colonial education as seen in the novel; Little Tree’s reactions against colonial
education; and the meaning of Little Tree’s reactions against colonial education.
4.1. The Portrayal of Little Tree Seen in the Novel
Little Tree is the main character in Forrest Carter’s The Education of Little Tree. Based on character and characterization theories discussed in chapter II, the
characteristics of Little Tree can be known from what he did, what he spoke, what he thought, and what the other characters said and thought about him. It is
significant to analyze his characteristics, including his physical appearances and personalities to know the meaning of Little Tree’s reactions against colonial
education in Forrest Carter’s The Education of Little Tree.
4.1.1. Physical Appearances of Little Tree
Little Tree is an orphan boy whose age is five years old. Little Tree is a mixed-blood child. His father is a Cherokee, while his mother is a White. His
father had already passed away when he was four years old. After his mother passed away, a year after his father’s death, Little Tree lives in a cabin located in
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23 the mountain with his grandparents who are Cherokees. This quotation describes
the beginning information about the physical appearance of Little Tree: “MA LASTED a year after Pa was gone. That’s how I came to live with Granpa and
Granma when I was five years old” p.01.
4.1.2. Personalities of Little Tree
There are some personalities of Little Tree depicted in the novel. The researcher divides those personalities into six categories.
4.1.2.1. Kind and Brave
The personalities of Little Tree are described in this following song. This is a nature song that sung by Granma as a welcome song for his coming to the
forest where his grandparents live in. For Cherokee, nature is a part of their life so that they can communicate one to the other. Bellow is the quotation of the song
lyrics: “They now have sensed him coming
The forest and wood-wind Father Mountain makes him welcome with his song
The have no fear of Little Tree They know his heart is kindness
And they sing, ’Little Tree is not alone’. Even silly little Lay-nah
With her babbling, talking waters Is dancing through the mountains with her cheer
‘Oh listen to my singing, Of a brother come amongst us
Little Tree is our brother, and Little Tree is here.’ Awi usdi the little deer
And Min-e-lee the quail-hen Even Kagu the crow takes up the song
‘Brave is the heart of Little Tree
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24 And kindness is his strength
And Little Tree will never be alone.’ “p.05 From the song, Little Tree is described as a kind and brave child. Little
Tree is very welcome to the forest because he is a pleasant boy so that nature likes him. Even, the nature calls Little Tree as their brother. As soon as time goes by,
Little Tree becomes more and more familiar with nature. He can listen to the song of nature. He is able to understand that nature has no fear of him. He is also able
to see that the wind is dancing cheerfully for him. His being a part of nature makes him happy. He is never lonely anymore.
This following quotation describes more that Little Tree is being a part of nature. Little Tree declares himself using Indian way of naming, Little Tree, not
as a White. ”I knew I was Little Tree, and I was happy that they loved me and wanted me. And so I slept, and I did not cry” p.05.
Little Tree is described as a brave child from his attitude when he should meet Reverend in the orphanage for the first time. He does not have any fear in
himself to face a new person who takes his life away from Cherokee. Even, Little Tree does not cry. He always argues what the Reverend said when it is not in his
truth. For instance, when the Reverend told him that white people do not admit the marriage of his parents, he explains Cherokee’s point of view about his parents’
marriage bravely. The quotation bellow shows the situation: I told him what Granma had said; that the Cherokees married my Pa and
my Ma. He said what Cherokees done didn’t count none whatsoever. He said he had not asked me a question. Which he hadn’t. p.185
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25
4.1.2.2. Sensitive
Little Tree is a sensitive person. He is able to feel nature and other’s feeling. Although in the beginning Little Tree has been educated as a White, then,
he is educated as Cherokee by his grandparents. He can feel nature as what his grandma said. He feels how Mon-o-lah, the land in the mountain, is coming to and
greeting him through his moccasins. Cherokee treats nature as a part of their life, their family. This quotation shows the situation:
I could feel something more, as Granma said I would. Mon-o-lah, the earth mother, came to me through my moccasins. I could feel her push and swell
here, and sway and give there...and the roots that veined her body as the life of the water-blood, deep inside her. She was warm and springy and
bounced me on her breast, as Granma said she would. p.07
As a human, Little Tree is a sensitive person. He has a deep sympathy to others. As stated in the quotation bellow, he can feel what Granpa feels. He feels
as sorrow as Granpa who is sadden by Granma reading about white politics and whiskey policy.
It hit Granpa deep. He stopped his rocker but he didn’t say anything, just stared into the fire with a lost look in his eyes. Granma felt sorry about it
for after the reading she patted Granpa on his shoulder and slipped her arm around his waist as they went off to bed. I felt might near as bad about it as
Granpa. p.17
His sensitivity also appears when he and Granpa walk in the morning and saw a quail hit by hawk. He is very shocked seeing this event. Granpa see that
Little Tree looked sad. From this event, readers can also see that beside showing his sensitivity, Little Tree has ability to endure his sorrow.
The quail rose in a rush and sped into the trees-but one was slow. The hawk hit. Feathers flew into the air and then the birds were on the ground:
the hawk’s head rising and falling with the death blows. In a moment he rose with the dead quail clutched in his claws, back up the said of
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26 mountain and over the rim.
I didn’t cry, but I know I looked sad, because Granpa said,”Don’t feel sad, Little Tree. It is The Way. p.09
4.1.2.3.
Responsible and Reliable
The other description about the personalities of Little Tree can be seen in
these quotations: Granpa was already listening. All the sounds was the same. The birds had
not flown away. Granpa said,”Ye taken up your sack and head back down the trail. Iff’n ye see somebody, step of the trail til they pass. I’ll take time
to clean up and hide the still and go down t’other mountain side. I’ll meet ye at the cabin.”
... Granpa said that he couldn’t have done any better his-self, and him going
on seventy odd years. He said that I was likely coming on to be the finest whiskey-maker in the mountains. p.71-75
From those quotations, Little Tree is described as a responsible and reliable boy in accomplishing duties given to him. Cherokee is well-known as
good whiskey maker. But, the American government, who are white people, banns and not legalizes the whiskey making done by Cherokee. It is one of White
politics. They always arrest Cherokees who makes whiskey. Little Tree’s grandfather is a good whiskey marker. He makes whiskey
secretly in the forest. One day, he invited Little Tree to learn how to make good and tasted whiskey. Unfortunately, there were cops who were patrolling around
the forest when they were working in the whiskey area. Granpa asked Little Tree to run away and bring some bottles of their whiskey. Meanwhile, grandpa settled
the area to cover his business. When the cops found Little Tree, he made his best effort to escape and to
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27 save the whiskey. In his mind, saving the whiskey was saving his grandpa and
Cherokee. He thought how to avoid the cops’ hunting. He was holding his suck tightly.
He was very tired. Finally, he found a place to hide himself. Because of his being exhausted, he slept in his hiding place too long. Until his grandparents
founded him, he was still holding the suck tightly. His grandparents were so proud of him because Little Tree was responsible and reliable boy.
This experience shows more that Little Tree is united with nature. He is a new comer, but he is able to understand and master the new and strange
environment for him. He is a truly Cherokee.
4.1.2.4. Diligent
Little Tree is a diligent child. He wakes up early in the morning. He has been ready to do his activities when the morning is still dark. Forrest Carter wrote:
This morning I slipped the moccasins on last, after I had jumped into my overalls and buttoned my jacket. It was dark and cold-too early even for
the morning whisper wind to stir the trees. p.06
His first morning in the forest but his being tired because he had a long journey in the previous night was not a plea for him to wake up late.
4.1.2.5. Determined and Smart
Little Tree is determined to learn hard, and he, therefore, can master what his Granpa taught him soon. Granpa teaches him one of the ways of Cherokee that
is taking only what you need. Granpa tells him also that nature helps human to
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28 create a harmony of life. For example, what Little Tree saw in the morning, a
hawk preyed a slow quail. As the hawk did, Cherokee is also taking the worse one in hunting and letting the better one to survive their good species.
I walked around them, flopping on the ground. I squatted and studied them, and walked around them again. I had to be careful. I got down on
my hands and knees and crawled among them, until I had pulled out the three smallest I could find. p.11
His ability to master what his grandpa taught marks his shift from boy educated as white into boy educated as Cherokee. Thus, he is Cherokee since he
affirms Cherokee’s way of life.
4.1.2.6. Strong and Resolute
Little Tree is strong and resolute person. He gets so many physical punishments in the orphanage. He never cries when the Reverend or the teachers
hit him, stuck him, quarantine him with out any food, and give him other physical punishment. Little Tree always tries to endure the punishment by what his
grandparents have taught him. He cut loose with the big stick acrost my back. The first time it hurt; but I
didn’t cry. Granma had learnt me. Oncet when I stumped off my toenail... she learnt me how the Indian bears pain. He lets his body mind go to sleep,
and with his spirit mind, he moves out of his body and sees the pain- instead of feeling the pain. p.192
Little Tree is strong in sense of having emotional qualities to deal with
stress, pressure, and fear. He is able to withstand pain he got from the punishment. In other side, he keeps his unwavering heart in practicing Cherokee way to endure
the pain. Indirectly, he is still holding his belief although he gets big suffering.
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4.2. The Characteristics of Cherokee Education and Colonial Education Seen
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