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Abstract
This paper’s primary purpose is to examine the concept and the impact of
multicultural education that is seen in The Education of Little Tree. This paper
employs American Studies perspective and Historicism theory in order to obtain
the purpose of the study. Using American Studies perspective, this research views
Native Americans as indigenous people of America. Using Historicism theory,
this research is able to uncover the concept and the impact of multicultural
education in the novel by viewing the socio-historical context that is referred by
the novel and the socio-historical context when the novel was written and then
published. Based on the analysis, it can be concluded that the concept of
multicultural education that is seen in the The Education of Little Tree is similar to
the concept that is promoted by the experts of multicultural education. The
education that is given by the grandparents promotes cultural pride, knowledge of
historical information of a culture, and respect towards other cultures.
Furthermore, there are several positive impacts of multicultural education that is
seen in The Education of Little Tree, they are: first, children possess cultural
pride; second, children possess the historical knowledge of their own culture;
third, children possess the cultural knowledge of other cultures in their society;
and fourth, children respect other cultures in their society.
Introduction
Education is an interesting topic to be explored since education is very
important for everyone. Education can serve as a means to elevate a person’s
knowledge and status in a society. On the other hand, education can serve as a
means to control and rule minority groups in a society. One of the examples was
education that was given to Native Americans. Native Americans were forced to
assimilate into America, since Native Americans were considered as uncivilized
people. One of the ways to assimilate Native Americans was to educate Native
Americans children using education that is based on whites’ educational system.
Fortunately, the civil rights movement in the 1960s changed the perspective
of many Americans. Americans began to insert multiculturalism into their
educational system. Thus, the concept of multicultural education started to emerge
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Theory
This research applies American studies perspective as the foundation for
explaining the concept of multicultural education and its impact as seen in The
Education of Little Tree. In his work Paradigm Drama, Tremain McDowell
(1948) (as cited in Merideth, 1968) explains that, American Studies is a “synthesis
of knowledge” which applies interdisciplinary approach as a holistic study of
American culture. It is challenging to conduct a study on the concept and the
impact of multicultural education as seen in The Education of Little Tree since
Lucy Maddox (1999) stated that American Studies as an academic enterprise
devoted to the interdisciplinary study of American history and culture. The Civil
Rights movement in America in the 1960s and 1970s changed American Studies’
theory and method. American Studies scholars explored wider boundaries such as
black studies, gender studies, ethnic studies, etc. Based on those statements, this
paper conducts a research about education which was given to Native Americans
children.
To analyze the concept of multicultural education and the impact of
multicultural education as seen in The Education of Little Tree this paper employs
Historicism theory in its analysis. Raman Selden (2005) argued that Historicism
was the offspring of Hegelian idealism and several major ‘historicist’ studied
literature in the context of social, political and cultural history. According to
Palmer (1987), Historicism is usually reserved for that approach to literature
which sets it in the context of ideas, conventions and attitudes of the period in
which it was written. By using Historicism theory this paper is able to uncover the
concept and the impact of multicultural education in the novel by viewing the
socio-historical context that is referred by the novel and the socio-historical
context when the novel was written and then published.
The descriptive qualitative method is applied in this paper. Creswell (2003)
stated that qualitative method was described as an approach used to gather data
systematically, but the data were purely descriptive, and therefore not numerical.
The paper also applies library research in order to obtain better understanding of
the problem and in order to obtain data for the research. The complete study of
this paper contains of data collection and data analysis. In data collection, the
researcher applies library research in order to obtain better understanding of the
problem and to obtain data for the paper. The data is divided into two categories:
primary data and secondary data. Primary data used in this paper is a novel
entitled The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter. The secondary data are
any data gathered from books, journals, research papers, e-books and e-journals
which support the analysis of the research.
Multiculturalism and Multicultural Education
The idea of a multicultural society has become an official policy in many
Western cultures and represents a liberal democratic attempt to promote ethnic or
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racial equality. Baker (2004) stated that as a policy approach it has been
influential in the education and cultural spheres where it has underpinned attempts
to introduce people to a range of different beliefs, values, customs and cultural
practices. For example, the teaching of multi-faith religious education and the
performance of rituals became facets of educational policy. Furthermore,
according to Feinberg (1996), there are three main goals of multiculturalism in
education, namely: 1) cultural pride should be encouraged, 2) cultural respect
should be fostered, and (3) cultural information should inform children about the
range of historical experiences that have affected those who are or have been
considered culturally different.
From the previous concept of multiculturalism, educational practitioners
inserted multiculturalism into educational system. Multicultural education has
been used by countries all over the world in referring to educational efforts that
have attempted to inculcate more positive values about human pluralism and
improve the learning potential for all students. According to Ellen Swartz (1992),
multicultural education is an education that uses methodologies and instructional
materials which promote equity of information and high standards of academic
scholarship in an environment that respects the potential of each student.
Furthermore, according to James A. Banks (1997), multicultural education as an
idea holds that all students—regardless of their gender, social class, ethnic, racial,
or cultural characteristics—should have an equal opportunity to learn.
The Socio-Historical Context of the Novel
In the early 19th century, education for Native Americans was mainly
proposed by missionaries and ex-generals of American army. Some Native
Americans children were put under white educational system in order to
assimilate them. Native Americans children as young as five years old were sent
to the boarding schools. According to Engan-Barker (2004), the shock, fear, and
loneliness which these children faced upon being uprooted from everything
familiar and known can only be imagined.
As the new century began, the continued inability of boarding schools and
English-only education to transform Native Americans into white people led to
disillusionment and lowered expectations for Native Americans education. Engan-
Barker (2004) stated that increasingly, Native Americans were viewed in the same
light as blacks at that time: as a permanent underclass for whom an inferior, non-
academic, vocational education was appropriate and adequate.
The life of Native Americans changed during the 1970’s, under Presidents
Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter. In May, 1977, the congressional
American Indian Policy Review Commission, which included five Native
Americans members for the first time, made more than two hundred
recommendations, most of which aimed at confirming all tribes’ power to enact
laws within the confines of their own reservations. The condition also changed in
the educational system for Native Americans. The Indian Education Act in 1972
provided for special programs benefiting Native Americans children in
reservation schools as well as those attending urban public schools. It was
amended in 1975 to require that Native Americans parents be involved in the
planning of these programs.
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Theory Application
The Concept of Multicultural Education in the Novel
In order that Little Tree may be able to live successfully and harmoniously
in a culturally diverse society, he needs to comprehend firstly about the culture of
his own tribe, the Cherokee. It is a custom for Native Americans that many hours
are spent with their elders, especially grandparents. They do that in order to learn
tribal history and myths. Children are the key to the future, and elders seek to
instil in them the tribe’s ancient traditions. Little Tree needs to understand the
reasons behind his grandparents’ choice of a way of life. He also needs to
understand the way of life of his people, the Cherokee. The knowledge of
Cherokee’s way of life is very important for Little Tree so that he is aware where
he is and where he belongs in the society. That way, Little Tree may not be
carried away by the dominant culture of his society.
The first thing to be introduced to Little Tree about Cherokee’s culture is
about the traditional religion of Cherokee. Cherokee believes in the existence of
spirits. The strongest spirit for Cherokee is the earth mother. The second thing to
be introduced to Little Tree about Cherokee’s culture is about Cherokee’s way in
fulfilling their daily needs. Since Cherokee depends heavily on the nature to fulfil
their daily needs, it is very important to take care of the nature. Cherokee will
only take what they need from the nature. The grandmother added the knowledge
about Cherokees’ way in fulfilling their daily needs by giving information about
plants. The grandfather added the knowledge about Cherokees’ way in fulfilling
their daily needs by giving information about Cherokees’ system of planting. The
Cherokees’ system of planting is different from the white’s system of planting.
The third thing to be introduced to Little Tree about Cherokee’s culture is about
Cherokee’s way to handle things, such as facing a situation or solving a problem.
Little Tree learns that in order to solve any problem in his life, he must keep his
cool and use senses all the time. That way, he may be able to find the best solution
for his problems. The grandmother adds the knowledge of Cherokee’s way to
handle things by giving the knowledge of body living mind and spirit mind. By
using spirit mind, Little Tree may be able to understand more about the nature and
other people that he encounters in life. Furthermore, by using spirit mind, Little
Tree may be able to see the true nature of people who he meets. He can also read
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the signs from the nature because sometimes nature gives out signs in order to
give hints that something is going to happen.
In the early twentieth century, American government showed little interest
in retaining Native Americans’ culture. However, in 1928 there was an
investigation conducted by Lewis Meriam, a student of Native Americans culture.
She criticized American policy that showed no intention in preserving Native
Americans’ culture. The report of investigation advocated spending more money
for economic assistance and suggested that the aid go directly to local tribal
councils. The councils, rather than Bureau of Indian Affairs officials, should
decide how to spend the funds. According to Tischauser (2003), Meriam called
for a policy of cultural pluralism: Native Americans should be allowed to live by
their old customs and values if they chose. It would lead to milestone legislation
in 1934, the Indian Reorganization Act.
The second knowledge that Little Tree needs to comprehend is the
knowledge of the history of Cherokee. It is very essential that Little Tree
comprehends the history of his own tribe. The Cherokees lost their land although
they had established the Cherokee Nation. According to Pritzker (1998), the
Cherokees Nations was founded in 1827 with “western” democratic institution
and a written constitution (which specifically disenfranchised African Americans
and women). After the finding of gold in Cherokee’s land, most of Cherokee were
forced to move to the west of Mississippi River. The government passed the 1830
Indian Removal Act. They were forced to live in reservation. Some Cherokee who
could escape from the forced removal to the west stayed to live in the mountains
of North Carolina.
The history of Cherokee that is told by the grandparents to Little Tree is the
Trail of Tears. It reveals to Little Tree that despite the Cherokees were in a
sorrowful condition, they held their pride as Cherokee very high. It is the reason
behind the preservation of Cherokee’s culture and way of life. They do not want
to lose their identity as Cherokee, so they maintain their way of life and culture
despite being oppressed and dominated by white’s culture. The government tries
to civilize Native Americans in order to assimilate them into white’s society
without considering the existing Native Americans’ culture and way of life.
American government wants to educate Native Americans children using white’s
educational system so that Native Americans can merge into white’s society.
The third knowledge that Little Tree needs to comprehend is the knowledge
of other cultures in the society. This knowledge is related to the word kin. For
Cherokee, understanding is more important than love. Little Tree must understand
the reasons behind an act by a person before he falls into negative prejudice of
that person. The same also applies for other culture. Little Tree has to understand
other culture so that he knows the reason behind the existence of cultural
differences.
The first knowledge of other cultures in Little Tree’s society is the
knowledge of other religion. Little Tree becomes aware that each religion
possesses its own ritual. Cherokee embrace Mon-o-lah by enjoying the beauty of
nature and at the same time preserving the nature. Christians accepted God by
being baptized using water. However, different denominations have different
ways in baptizing using water. And sometimes they fight about it. Little Tree is
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amazed at the fact that those Christians worry about water that much. He thinks
that water is abundant in the nature and everyone can use it as they want. It means
that nature is a gift from earth mother and no one can claim it as their possession.
It is different from the whites who think that possession of natural resources is
very important.
The second knowledge of other cultures in Little Tree’s society is the
existence of white’s culture. In the early twentieth century, the dominant culture
was the white’s culture. The grandmother shares this knowledge to Little Tree
through books. Grandfather explains to Little Tree that the whites have different
method in agriculture. Since, the whites are ignorant to the nature. The whites will
utilize the nature as they please and they will take from the nature as many as they
can. It is a comparison between modern agriculture and traditional agriculture. In
the early twentieth century, modernization in agriculture meant that farmers were
able to produce more. Farm began to grow larger. Landowner possesses hectares
of land. New investors in modern agriculture approach the politicians in order to
grab more land from Native Americans. Little Tree becomes aware that the
possession of land is very important for the whites.
The third knowledge of other cultures in Little Tree’s society is the
existence of sharecroppers. Sharecroppers are the opposite of wealthy landowners.
Sharecroppers are poor farmers that possess no land. In order to earn a living, they
have to work for a landowner. Similar to Native Americans, sharecroppers also
received prejudice from the society. They are considered as lazy and irresponsible.
Little Tree comprehends that prejudice can happens to anyone in the society. Even
white Americans may receive prejudice from the society.
The grandparents share the knowledge of the culture of Cherokee, the
history of Cherokee, and the knowledge of other culture in their society because
this knowledge is something good that need to be shared. Cherokee believes that
if a person possesses something good, it is better to share it with anyone.
Multicultural education as a concept is something good that must be shared to
everyone. So that respect and embrace of cultural difference will be accepted by a
lot of people.
The Impact of Multicultural Education in the Novel
The first impact that can be seen from the novel is that Little Tree possesses
the cultural pride of Cherokee’s culture. Following the teaching from his
grandfather, Little Tree will follow “The Way” of the Cherokee. Little Tree takes
only what he needs from the nature. If natural resources are not protected, the
younger generations will be able to utilize them. Furthermore, Little Tree
experiences the educational system of the whites when he is forced to live in a
Christian orphanage by the law. The grandmother already introduces Little Tree to
whites’ culture through books that she reads every Sunday night. However, it does
not alter Little Tree’s identity of being a Cherokee. It can be seen when Little Tree
is in the Christian’s orphanage. When Little Tree is asked by Wilburn about what
will he do when he grows up, Little Tree answered that he wants to be a Native
American. Since he has cultural pride of being a Cherokee, he wants to merge
with the society without losing his identity as a Cherokee.
The second impact that can be seen from the novel is that Little Tree
possesses the historical knowledge of his tribe, Cherokee. Little Tree aware that
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the possession of land is an important matter for the whites. Little Tree knows that
Cherokee used to live in a very vast fertile land. Unfortunately, the government
took the land from Native Americans by force. Little Tree comprehends that
Cherokee was forced to move from their land because the whites found gold on
the land. Little Tree comprehends that in Cherokee’s point of view a person or a
tribe cannot survive without land. However, Cherokee does not have the concept
of land possession. Land is a gift from earth mother that needs to be preserved for
the survival of Cherokee. Little Tree also becomes aware the historical
background behind his grandfather’s trade of whiskey making.
The third impact that can be seen from the novel is that Little Tree possesses
the knowledge of other culture in his society. Little Tree becomes aware that the
dominant culture in his society is the whites’ culture. The domination of whites’
culture to the culture of Native Americans can be seen through the infiltration of
Christianity in the American government policies towards Native Americans.
However, the policies are altered in 1978. According to Cannon (2003), on the
heels of this symbol of intended reform, the U.S. Congress passed the 1978
American Indian Religious Freedom Act, which guaranteed freedom for tribes to
practice their own traditional religions. This act ended the mixed legacy of several
centuries of insistence that missionary conversion and education following
Christian principles were vital aspects of Native Americans-white relations in the
United States.
Little Tree becomes aware that the cultural difference between Native
Americans and whites can bring misunderstanding and prejudice. The knowledge
of other culture makes Little Tree grow up as a boy who is not naïve or who
doesn’t think that all people are nice. His grandparents already teach him the
existence of bad person in other culture. Little Tree is encouraged to use his
senses in order to know whether a person is nice or bad. He also learns to be more
careful in dealing with another person.
Little Tree becomes aware that the society where he lives in is in trouble.
White’s culture is all about earning a lot of money. Unfortunately, when the
system is damaged, the whites cannot handle the condition well. Pine Billy says
that the world was coming to an end. He said there are rumours of wars, and
famine had set on the land. Banks are mostly closed and those that are not closed
are being robbed all the time. Pine Billy says there is no money to be had hardly at
all. He says that folks are still jumping out of windows in the big cities whenever
the notion took them. Little Tree understands that the event is the Great
Depression. Unlike the whites who get influenced heavily by the Great
Depression, Native Americans do not feel the impact of the Great Depression.
Especially for those who still depends on the nature in providing their daily needs.
The fourth impact that can be seen from the novel is that Little Tree is
respecting other culture in his society. Little Tree possesses understanding of
other people in his society through the grandparents’ teaching and his own
experience. He comprehends that he needs to possess good understanding so that
he will not fall into prejudice for other people in the society. It is appropriate with
the lesson from the grandfather. Understanding is important for Cherokee. Thus,
Little Tree needs to understand other people in the society. Little Tree is
committed in trying to understand other people in the society. He respects the
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sharecropper family who has to move from one land to another. He respects Mr.
Jenkins who is fair in doing whiskey trading with the grandfather. Furthermore,
Little Tree respects the whites’ orientation for money. One of them is the small
family’s acquaintances, Mr. Wine. He is a Jew who lives in the settlement but
earns his living by fixing clocks. Little Tree respects the fact that that Mr. Wine is
a thrifty person. Since, Little Tree has respect towards Mr. Wine; Mr. Wine gives
back the respect by teaching Little Tree about figures and reading the time.
Little Tree possesses the experience of having education using the whites’
system. Little Tree is forced to go into a Christian’s orphanage by the
government. Little Tree does not like to live in the dormitory because it does not
appreciate cultural differences. It only promotes how to be a good citizen and
assimilate into white’s society. The Reverend who leads the orphanage does not
acknowledge Little Tree’s parents’ marriage. That is why, Little Tree is
considered as a bastard who cannot be saved according Christian’s point of view.
Little Tree wants to live in a society where the people are respecting each other
without having any prejudice. Furthermore, by possessing the knowledge of other
culture’s religion, Little Tree develops a certain point of view towards those
religions. When facing white’s religion, he is in the position of onlooker. That is
why when Little Tree is forced to go into Christian’s orphanage, he does not
complain when he is prohibited from attending the mass.
If there is understanding in the society, everyone may be able to work
together without any prejudice. Little Tree gets this lessons from his grandfather.
The grandfather has an experience of witnessing this kind of unity when he was a
child. Two whites were working together with a black man in order to plough the
land. It shows that unity between quarrelling parties can be achieved. Little Tree
is amazed by the story. He realizes that unity in the society may be achieved
through understanding which resulted respect for other culture in the society.
The American government showed respect towards Native Americans when
they enacted the Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975.
The act marked a radical change in federal policy—the assimilationist philosophy
of the federal government was replaced by policies favoring tribalism and Native
Americans sovereignty. According to Barret (2003), the act clearly endorsed
Native Americans decision making, and the preamble declared that the United
States recognized its obligation “to respond to the strong expression of the Indian
people for self-determination by assuring maximum participation in the direction
of educational as well as other federal services to Indian communities so as to
render such services more responsive to the needs and desires of those
communities.”
Conclusion
The concept of multicultural education in The Education of Little Tree can
be seen from the education that is given by the grandparents to Little Tree. The
concept of multicultural education that is seen in the grandparent’s education is
similar to the concept that is promoted by the experts of multicultural education.
The education from the grandparents promotes the encouragement of cultural
pride in children. The education from the grandparents also promotes the
introduction of historical events that have affected those who are or have been
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