HOUSE MADE OF DAWN

Sophia G.

The context of this book caught my attention right away. It follows the journey of a US military veteran from one of our nation's minorities. The novel follows main character Abel’s life immediately after he returns to his tribe after fighting in World War 2, and his return to his home of Walatowa, New Mexico. Abel faces a struggle that most veterans do; having trouble adapting to everyday life again. This struggle leads him on a personal journey away from home where he gets himself in trouble, and in turn learns from these mistakes. This unique plot line kept my attention, as well as the connection to native american life. I have always been absorbed by the strong presence of nature in native american life. I have attended a few native american Powwows in my day, and I love learning more and more about their beautiful way of life. Admiring the bright colors, powerful songs and beautiful dances of their culture. Momaday uses a very descriptive style of writing which often plunges deep into descriptions of nature, people, and just about anything. This style of writing can be very peaceful and delightful to read at first but often becomes tedious and boring for me as a reader. It can be difficult for a reader to relate to this book not only because it is about a native american veteran, but also because it is set in the 1940s. That should be taken into consideration before beginning this novel. The most prominent themes are the idea of being one with the tempo of life, and personal relationships to nature. I found these two themes very captivating and thought provoking.