Chief Joseph was a Native American chief of the Nez Perce tribe in Northwestern Oregon who tried to flee with his tribe to Canada to avoid living on a reservation. Because of this flight, his tribe was attacked, and many were killed or beaten. Finally, after his tribe could take no more he gave a surrender speech on October 5, 1877. In this speech he gave the present state of his tribe, and said that he could not continue to fight. The speech is listed below.
"I am tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed. Looking Glass is dead. Toohulhulsote is dead. The old men are all dead. It is the young men who say yes or no. He who led the young men is dead.
It is cold and we have no blankets. The little children are freezing to death. My people, some of them, have run away to the hills and have no blankets, no food. No one knows where they are--perhaps freezing to death. I want to have time to look for my children and see how many I can find. Maybe I shall find them among the dead.
Hear me, my chiefs. I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever." (Joseph)
This is a prime example of regionalism, and does not show very many aspects or realism or naturalism. Regionalism is defined as "a literary subgenre that emphasizes the setting, history, speech, dialect, and customs of a particular geographical locale or area, not only for local color, but also for development of universal themes through the use of the local and particular" (Werlock). In this particular speech, as with nearly every regionalistic piece of literature, the dialect and writing style is what puts this in the regionalistic category. This is being said in a Native Indian dialect. The statements are simple, short, and to the point. The phrasing is also singular to their dialect. "The old men are all dead. It is the young men who say yes or no. He who led the young men is dead" (Joseph). This is what gives it the uniqueness and singularity, the dialect, and this is also what puts it in the category of regionalism.
The surrender speech Does not resemble the characteristics of realism that much. It is a sort and sad speech that does not talk of a hero, the American dream, government, or religion. The only connection that this has to realism is through the human nature and human psychology. Even though the sentences are simple and short, and the surrender speech is short, one can still get a clear idea of how the chief of the Nez Perce was feeling and what was going through his mind. "My heart is sick and sad" (Joseph). In just six words, Chief Joseph was able to create the whole tone of the speech, even if the topic itself could not signal the tone. This simple phrase has a much deeper meaning and background behind it. The Nez Perce had traveled one thousand and one hundred miles, so that they could have freedom (Joseph). They were tire, tired of walking, of fighting, and probably homesick. Their hope was most likely shattered from the fights and deaths along the way, and when they were trapped forty miles away from Canada (Joseph), their spirits were not necessarily lifted and their morales encouraged. They were probably feeling the weight of oppression, grief, and defeat. Being one of the chiefs, Chief Joseph felt double the burden his people felt, and he probably felt somewhat responsible for what was happening to his tribe. Human nature shows us that sooner or later everyone becomes tired, physically and mentally. No one can go on forever; that is a simple fact of life. Chief Joseph was physically and mentally tired. "From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever" (Joseph). This is the tone of the speech and the connection to human nature psychology. This is why it is part of the regionalism literary period.
Works cited
Joseph, Chief. "I Will Fight No More Forever." Surrender Speech Of Chief Joseph. Mary Lou McCloskey. Web. 16 Feb. 2011.
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