Black Elk Speaks, but in what Genre?

I really don't have much to say on this book, because, to be quite honest, it confuses me as to what genre it fits into.
Part of me wants to label it as an autobiography, biography, or a memoir but that feels far too simplistic.
I think Neihardt did his own interpretation a great deal on what Black Elk was saying and that sort of idea speaks more of the author than the subject. It's well worth noting that this book is by John Neihardt as opposed to being by Black Elk. So that eliminates autobiography from the genres.
However, that still leaves biography and memoir.
Biography, again, doesn't work because it's far too focused on other factors outside of Black Elk's life, Black Elk even goes so far as to say something like "I am going to tell you the story of my life...and if it were only the story of my life I think I would not tell it." (pg 1). And it's narrated by other people too much to be a simple biography because oftentimes, the other speakers don't reference Black Elk but things within his life.
This is also the reasoning I use to eliminate memoir from the list-plus, it's far too overarching to be a memoir, this is a large span of time.
What then, if there is a label to be imposed, should Black Elk Speaks be called? I could take the English major route and say that "the genre encompasses many bases and you can't define something into one clean and neat label. The world doesn't work that way, art and literature means something different to everyone." (The English major in me believes this wholeheartedly, but also realizes this is something other majors may call... a cop-out...)
So, if I were to give a broad sweeping label to this, I'd go with religious/prophetic work. It's filled with iconography, Black Elk sees the future of his tribe within these gorgeous (and surprisingly universal) symbols. He continues to be haunted by his visions until he chooses to do something about it.
In a close second, I'd call this an ethnography. It's a character study of a tribe of people. Unfortunately, it's during a time of transition, so you're watching a culture, if not in decline, then in adaptation, and to my mind, this isn't the same thing as a purely ethnographic piece.
Neither of these fits are perfect, which makes me reluctant to label, but if forced, I'll respond with religious work or ethnography. (If there were a way to merge both into a nice little name, I would...religiography? Ethelgious? I'll work on it).
Regardless of the problems with genre, the relevance of Black Elk Speaks within the realm of the American Conversation program remains unaffected because it crosses those boundaries. On the one hand, Black Elk Speaks focuses upon these same apocalyptic themes that created the North American culture which I was raised in (Midwestern Suburbanite of European descent) and it deals with the loss of democracy within a tribe and how a change in culture and the definitions of the "average American" and with that, who gets the right to a say within a democracy.
I realize this post followed a stream of consciousness randomosity without any of the ultimate insight, so let me cut myself by saying, that although I don't have a lot to say about Black Elk Speaks, he definitely has a lot to say on the subject.

I have a problem.

(From left to right, The Five books from the Belgariad, East, She's Come Undone, The Supernaturalist, Something Corporate: North, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, The Things They Carried and Possession)

This is my proudest accomplishment (in the last three months or so). Despite that fact that I have now gained countless hours of enjoyment, I've now made myself into another broke college student. Alas and Lackaday! Such is the price that one must pay (around $19).

The Sad Beautiful Fact that We're Going to Miss Almost Everything

This article really made me think about the liberal arts education and what it means to be well rounded.  As hard as we try, we're never going to read every great book or see every great movie.  The thought is sometimes very depressing.  I've been working my way through the BBC's top one hundred books for about two and a half years now, with frequent breaks for other books, but even if I do finish reading those then there's AFI's top one hundred movies and Rolling Stone's top albums to listen to before you die, and the ten places you must see before you die...the list sprawls on and on and it's daunting.  However, as this article says, to surrender to the fact that you'll never know much of anything and shouldn't try, is as pointless as trying to know everything at once.
So be content, my fellow college students (and maybe some of my professors) that you're always going to be ignorant of something, but it doesn't make you ignorant.  Try your best to do what you can and you'll have some beautiful experiences. Remember, sometimes the greatest beauty is found in the unknown that's all around us. 


http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/04/19/135508305/the-sad-beautiful-fact-that-were-all-going-to-miss-almost-everything?sc=tw&cc=share

Odds and Ends

I talked in class today guys!  And I was relevant!  I'm doing this new thing where instead of listening quietly, I'm going to tell you my opinions!  Since no one reads my blog-not a guilt trip, just a fact- I figured that I could try expressing my opinions verbally.  Oh man, oh man, gush.
Talking in class has always been a struggle for me.  I'm one for listening to everyone's opinion before expressing my own, in fear of repeating myself or saying something trite. My heart flutters before I speak; it is truly nerve wracking.  But, ironically enough, on the Day of Silence, I opened my mouth.  Let's keep this up!

And I'm back

After two excruciatingly long weeks of being sick in one form or another, (as a few of my friends like to put it "You look like you're dying!"),thoroughly learning my lesson about the importance of sleep and just, in general, realizing that when we try to power through, we inevitably make things much worse; I return to this blog with a sheepish grin and a feeble apology.   I'll try my best to stay current, but I'll beg your indulgence if some of my posts seem outdated.
Without further ado, Emerson's Nature struck a chord with me both as a writer (his prose is sometimes achingly beautiful) and as a spiritual being.  This may sound rather hackneyed and superficial, but part of what drew me to Emerson's argument was how it made me feel. In my English 185 class, we went through a long period of discussing how good works of literature made us feel.  This concept did not frighten me, but rather, seemed repugnant.  Why should I care how a book made me feel?  Aren't the ideas more important for what they stand for, rather than the emotions that they evoke?
That being said, Emerson's Nature reaches that perfect balance betwixt artist and analyst.  His arguments are concise but filled with breathtaking imagery.  For example, he says at one point

"Crossing a bare common, in snow puddles, at twilight, under a clouded sky, without having in my thoughts any occurrence of special good fortune, I have enjoyed a perfect exhilaration. I am glad to the brink of fear. In the woods too, a man casts off his years, as the snake his slough, and at what period soever of life, is always a child. In the woods, is perpetual youth. "-Nature, Chapter 1 (70 words)

Obviously, this is the wordsmith within Emerson having a little fun; but it really speaks to the American Public's growing affection with nature and progress as well.  He urges a return, of sorts, to the bounty of nature and an appreciation for what she can provide spiritually.  This argument is good, but it's a very pathos filled plea.  Emerson likes nature, it's really pretty.  The cynic in me is rolling her eyes and trampling flowers.
However, he strengthens his argument with the next section, Commodity, and talks about how

"Nature, in its ministry to man, is not only the material, but is also the process and the result. All the parts incessantly work into each other's hands for the profit of man..."-Nature, Chapter 2 (33 words)

With these two sections as meager examples, Emerson's argument demonstrates why it is so effective.  Nature isn't something that's pretty to look at, but rather something that we can make work for us.  That's where its power lies.  It appeals to both the material, everyday existence, and the spiritual inner-workings of the natural world.  Thus, with a two rather short passages, Emerson speaks to the mind and the soul.

In summary, Emerson's argument, made me feel. So often, I've been almost ashamed of being an English major because it operates on how one feels and not how one thinks. With an injection of logic (which may be shakier than I'll care to admit) Emerson's argument remains relevant and romantic; and as something that I can fully agree with 175 years later.  (Take that De Tocqueville!)