his response:

Carly,

Great analysis of both works.  I too took notice of Sa's comments about the difference between the "palefaces" personification of evil and, as you put it, the concept "that evil is incorporeal in the world of the Dakota's."  This is a bit of a digression, but it's interesting that the caricature of the devil she found in the "white man's Bible" actually isn't based on any Biblical description of Lucifer.  It was an early Christian concept that the devil perhaps resembled some of the pagan/celtic deities which they saw as hedonistic.  When Christianity expanded into Europe, they used this type of propaganda to try to convert the pagans, much in the same way they were trying to convert the Native Americans.  As a modern day Christian, I think some of their intentions were good, but their techniques were ill conceived.  They genuinely wanted to help the Dakotas, and other indigenous people, assimilate to a culture that was to be inevitably dominant.  However, they did not recognize the extent of harm caused by their lack of ability to communicate and show compassion and recognition for Native American Culture.    

Really? My post had nothing to do with that, and you nitpicking it because of that? Weak dude, srsly weak.

My response to him:

She explains that evil is incorporeal according to her people by explaining "among the legends the old warriors used to tell me were many stories of evil spirits.  But I was taught to fear them no more than those who stalked about in material guise: (1615), I took that as simply meaning what she wanted to say about it.  To her and her people she is taught not to fear anything, let alone if it is real or not.  As for Christianity it started as a cult, did you know that?  But as a cult and as the newest thing of the time of those ancient civilizations it needed to take over the religions that were there, how would it do that you may ask.  Simple by taking over other things that were considered paganistic or barbaric.  In other words, it took over holidays and turned it into something that could be "part of" such a leading part of the new religion, Christianity.  So in order to make the people to turn away from their original religion, and original thoughts and beliefs in nature gods, they made and gave the Devil/Beezlebub/Lucifer a form that was that of the old religion; the Consort.  A half-man, half-goat creature that they once beleived as aprt of their own religion became the new evil of this new founding/leading religion.  Out with the old, in with the new, and all that rot, eh?  But mainly for the simple fact by them giving Lucifer/Evil such a look they made those who once originally worshiped such a deity a fear for their lives, a fear that this new religion was greater than their own.  In the case of Sa she is taught by her people to not fear anything, and in this case the Bible's version of the evil in front of her, she destroys, by erasing his form with a pencil.  She destroys what she fears, because she is taught that.


References:
Bonnin/Sa, Gertrude SImmons/Zitkala. from The School Days of an Indian Girl. 2011. McMichael, George & Leonard, J.S. (Ed.) The Concise Anthology of American Literature: Seventh Edition, Boston: Longman. 1610-1617.