Example research essay topic: Analytical On Ramona By Helen Hunt Jackson - 1,105 words

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Analytical Essay on Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson America is considered to be a multi-cultural country. For a long time people of different nations came there. Thats why the problems concerning with racial difference have been existing during a long period of American history. It is known from the history that after the Civil War there were three main counter-forces in the state: Mexicans, Indians and White people (Americans). Especially in the southern areas such as California the withstanding was great. Anglo-Americans limited lands and rights of Native Americans and Mexicans.

Before Americans started assuming control over the Indians lands many of the original Mexican land grants had clauses protecting the Indians on the lands they occupied. Though, as it has been known from the book, Mexicans did not like Indians but they treated them with temper in spite of Whites. Helen Hunt Jackson knew that and thats why her story is based on facts. In the book "Ramona", the author expressed the prejudice and discrimination towards the Indians. She tried to show the Native Americans lost their own identity when the Spanish, and white people came into this country. The main hero Ramona was of mixed culture her father was a Scotsman and her mother was a Californian Indian but for her adoptive mother Senora Moreno she was the Indian.

It was this blinded view of discrimination that would form a bias in the Senoras mind. Senora Moreno was prejudice and she had never tried to create a relationship with Ramona. Felipe, her son, never understood why his mother didn't love Ramona. Senora Moreno had never told who the girls real parents were. The story of Ramona the Senora never told. To most of the Senoras acquaintances now, Ramona was a mystery. (Jackson, 20) But Senora had to admit that, Ramona was, to the world at large, a far more important person than the Senora herself.

The Senora was of the past; Ramona was of the present. (Jackson, 20) When Ramona discovered the truth about her "family history", it became clear why Senora Moreno hated the girl. At those times Natives were perceived as savages to many of the White men and Mexicans. Since Ramona was a descendant of a white father and native mother she would be even less accepted. But being a Mexican, Senora Moreno hated American the same.

Any race under the sun would have been to the Senora less hateful than the American. (Jackson, 19) The idea of being forced to wage a war with peddlers was to her too monstrous to be believed. In the outset she had no doubt that the Mexicans would win in the contest. (Jackson, 19) Her husband was killed in the last fight the Mexican forces made against Americans the woman was sure that, He would have chosen to die rather than to have been forced to see his country in the hands of the enemy. (Jackson, 19) There was another Indian, Alessandro. This character was created by the author with the purpose to prove that prejudices against Natives are wrong. The idea was working in the Senoras mind that she might do a worse thing than engage this young, strong, active, willing man to remain permanently in her employ. The possibility of an Indians being so born and placed that he would hesitate about becoming permanently a servant even to the Senora Moreno, did not occur to her. (Jackson, 70) Most of all Alessandro could read and played violin. But he was born Indian and his death proved that in the cruel world full of prejudices there is no place for strong, active, willing man like Alessandro.

Ramona fell in love with Alessandro; they were married by Father Gaspara on San Diego; and Ramona must go to live with Alessandro's people. So, she made the decision to become an Indian. When Ramona decided to move away from the Senora she was hoping to finally find complete happiness and companionship. But they had to move from place to place and never found a secure home.

Then they lost their first child because a white doctor refused to travel to treat her. The main hero struggled with identity and hardships of life. But the scene of Alessandro's death revealed better than anything else injustice of the society. Alessandro was killed by a white man. There was no justice for the Indians even though Alessandro did take the horse that did not belong to him. It was the illness in his mind that caused him to do it.

The injustice was that the owner Farrar did not give Alessandro the opportunity to answer for his actions but murder him in cold blood. Native people were shocked with cruelty that ill and unarmed Alessandro was killed by a white man. Thats why when Felipe came to Ramona to take her with him, Indians were glad because they thought he would take vengeance. They were sure in it because they knew these Mexicans were like Indians in their vengeance Time did not tire them, and their memories were long (Jackson, 273) Farrar, the killer, was really afraid. First of all that only the murderer himself knew the real truth that the dialogue which he had reported to the judge and jury, to justify his act, was an entire fabrication of his own, and that, instead of it, had been spoken but four words by Alessandro, and those were, Senor, I will explain; (Jackson, 273) Farrar was sure that killing an Indian was no harm. He had not liked to recall the pleading anguish in Alessandro's tone and in his face as he fell. (Jackson, 273) The episode shows that cruel and injustice attitude of White people against Indians existed in that time.

Though Mexicans did not like Indians the same but Natives thought them to be their savers. Hunt Jackson felt deep sympathy for the Indians and she was outraged at the way they were being tortured into extinction. At this point Jackson begins her revelation of the condition of Indian life in California. She revealed the real pictures of that time and showed all hardships of the young womans life. A child was born to the couple but dies of medical negligence. Land was needed by Yankee farmers who forced the tribe to move again.

Her husband was murdered before her very eyes, but Ramona must go into hiding with the knowledge that the courts will not take the word of an Indian woman against a white. These facts reveal real truth about a Spanish past of California. Bibliography: Helen Hunt Jackson. Ramona. Modern Library, April, 2005.

Research essay sample on Analytical On Ramona By Helen Hunt Jackson