Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

1996

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Abstract

James Welch's historical novel Fools Crow brings readers to the eve of the destruction of Plains Indians' culture. Through Fools Crow, a member of the Pikuni band in the Blackfeet tribe, readers witness the rites of passage of a young man evolving into a respected member of Blackfeet society. The story culminates with the Marias Massacre of 1870 in which the U.S. Cavalry knowingly slaughtered innocent Blackfeet. While many find this book tragic with depressing implications, Welch's development of the hero offers contemporary readers a sense of hope. Welch offers a new hero, one who brings new knowledge to the people, in the character Fools Crow. While most American Indian culture heroes are mythic, Welch offers a man who learns to live with mortal limitations and weaknesses. Because of who he becomes while remaining a man, not a myth, Fools Crow stands as a symbol of hope, not loss, for today.

Extent

93 p.

Comments

FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Adviser: David Anderson.|Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1996.|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Identifier

FADT15352

Format

pdf

Download

Share

COinS