Black Elk 2

The second half of Black Elk Speaks was shocking to say the least. To be honest I felt a little betrayed by Black Elk. He had set himself up as a redeeming, heroic figure. Much of his language seems Christ-like in fact, such as in this passage: “After this, I went on curing sick people, and I was busy doing this. I was in doubt no longer. I felt like a man, and I could feel the power with me all the time.” (Black Elk, 29) The ending sentences, then, were a total surprise. Black Elk seems to have given up completely. I understand his reasoning, but I don’t necessarily approve of his response. Sure, sometimes reality is tough. Nobody can blame Black Elk for feeling terrible and having difficulty knowing how to respond after seeing the destruction of his people and such harrowing and disturbing images as a, “a little baby trying to suck its mother, but she was bloody and dead….” (Black Elk, 34) But from what I had come to believe about Black Elk from the first half or so made me think that he would be able to jump up from this traumatic experience and work to protect his people. After all, isn’t that what his visions had been telling him to do all along? I felt that his final sentences, his lifelong reaction to the events that he had witnessed, were complete and total contradictions to all that he had said before. Is this a powerful message of how devastating trauma can be or just a mistake that should have been corrected?

What Black Elk was forced to experience is terrible.

Black Elk says two things in particular that stuck out to me as direct contradictions to his final reaction. (Again, I don’t think the way he responded was intolerable but perfectly natural under the circumstances. I just think a lesson can be learned from the difference between what he says and how he ultimately acted.) First, he says that, “You have noticed that the truth comes into this world with two faces. One is sad with suffering, and the other laughs; but it is the same face, laughing or weeping.” (Black Elk, 25)

This statement reminded me of the Greek drama masks.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tsevis/2677658118/

This was a powerful message to me that there are important lessons to learn in suffering and that regardless of our circumstances we always have the potential to laugh or cry. In this way, I think Black Elk should have understood that life can be hard but it can also get better. Instead of committing himself to the idea that his people may be doomed and lost forever, he could have envisioned a brighter future for them and himself, like the many ones we heard about throughout these selections of Black Elk Speaks. Second, Black Elk’s strong statement that “It is from understanding that power comes,” (Black Elk, 29) was a message that I think he forgot to listen to himself. Black Elk could have taken this situation, viewed it in a different, less final and devastating, way and taken a position of power to help his people get back on their feet.

While I feel it may seem harsh to criticize Black Elk’s actions, I still wanted to grab his shoulders after I read the end of this piece and ask him what happened. How any of us would respond to such a difficult situation I don’t really know, but I think if you are willing and so prepared to be a leader like Black Elk presented himself as, you should be able to take action. Throughout his visions, he learned so much about the world and what his people needed. He helped them. He became less afraid of the dangers in his world and was ready to face him. Difficult situations shouldn’t end our sense of leadership but try them and make us stronger as a result. I don’t think that Black Elk was meant to be, “a pitiful old man who has done nothing.” (Black Elk, 35) As we prepare ourselves to be leaders, I think that we should keep in mind the trials leadership brings and develop an indomitable mindset, ready to tackle any task.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD1MNHy2S2M