Critical Resource Review

Charles, Jim. "The Young Adult Novels of Michael Dorris." Alan Review 25.3 (Spring 1998). 21 Apr. 2008 .

Jim Charles an English Education professor who has studied and written about Native American literature, reviews the overall work of Michael Dorris and takes a critical look at each of Dorris’ three young adult novels including, Morning Girl, which was a novel I chose to review.  Charles begins his critical review of Dorris’ work by giving some background on his Dorris’ life.  From this introduction one can learn that he has an adopted son who was born to an alcoholic mother, which influenced some of his writing and he was also married to Louise Edrich who he had collaborated on some literature with.  Charles states, “Michael Dorris did much, through his writing, to increase awareness and understanding of American Indian cultures and to advance the causes of American Indian people. American literature benefited greatly from his artistic craft and vision.”

            Also discussed in the professional review is Dorris’ work to destroy stereotypes about American Indians.  Dorris wrote about and looked at how Native American history was portrayed and told in history books.  He wanted to change how many schools taught about Native Americans. He used his literature to provide a mirror and window into the lives of Native American teenagers.   Dorris also uses generic themes that all adolescents go through such as identity search, family, and relationships.  He also incorporates themes that pertain specifically to Native Americans but can still relate to everyone like, “heritage, maintenance of tribal traditions, harmonious existence with others and within the natural environment, and racism.”  These themes elicit the reader’s attention and give them something to relate to while reading multicultural literature which is expanding their knowledge.

            Charles also specifically looks at Morning Girl.  Charles describes the setting of Dorris’ novel as, “Far removed from the familiar, romanticized settings of popular literary and cinematic treatments of the American Indian experience, Dorris recreates an "'Indian world,' not the 'new world,' but rather a very old one.”  This view of American Indians stretches the readers’ idea of Indians living on the Great Plains and fighting with Colonists.  Dorris displaces the Native American savage people who only live in the past stereotype by telling a story about Native Americans who live in their, which until the end is unaffected by non-Indians.  Charles also describes the relationship between Morning Girl and Star Boy, which is similar to many sibling relationships, giving many people something to relate to.  He also discusses how the sister and brother grow and mature, which is a good lesson and outlook for many adolescents to have if they are going through similar situations with their siblings.

            Within Charles’ conclusion he states how Michael Dorris’ work incorporates important themes in the understanding of family importance and the process of searching for identity during adolescence.  He states these themes are similar to those in developmental psychology which helps readers, “mature and develop when their view of the world is broadened, when their vision of their own potential is expanded, when their experiences lead them to a fuller understanding of who they are and what they can contribute to the well being of others.”  These adolescents who have an expanded view of the world through multicultural literature are going to be able to communicate better with others and see the world as a place to collaborate with everyone and see that every person is different from them in one way or another and this difference is something they can learn from.