LITR 4332: American Minority
Literature
Student Poetry Presentation 2007
Monday, 26 March: Mary TallMountain, “The Last Wolf,” UA 33-34.
Reader: Cana Hauerland
"The Last Wolf" by Mary Tallmountain, UA 33-34
About the Author:
Mary Tallmountain is a native Alaskan from a village called Nulato, occupied by Koyukon natives. At age 6, Mary's mother became ill and she was adopted by an American doctor who removed her from Nulato. Forced to change cultures, Mary claims she "went through a sort of dark night". After finally overcoming her despair Mary began writing to reflect the background of her native culture and about the feelings she endured when removed from it. Mary is known for her generous spirit and great ability to produce outstanding insights of cultures through poetry.
Objectives:
3b. Native American Indian alternative narrative: "Loss and Survival"
(Whereas immigrants define themselves by leaving the past behind in order to become American, the Indians were once “the Americans” but lost most of their land along with many of their people. Yet Native Americans defy the myth of "the vanishing Indian," choosing to "survive," sometimes in faith that the dominant culture will eventually destroy itself, and the forests and buffalo will return.)
5a. To discover the power of poetry and fiction to help "others" hear the minority voice and vicariously share the minority experience.
"The Last Wolf", UA 33-34
Questions:
1. In relation to Objective 3b, how does Mary's minority group, including Mary herself, resemble the wolf in the poem?
2. What does the poem suggest about the "ruined city" with "useless" elevators and how does it relate to Objective 3b in terms of the Indian belief that "the dominant culture will destroy itself"?
3. What does the structure of the poem reveal to you?
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