The loss of Abel’s Indian identity is a struggle that is faced throughout House Made of Dawn. Abel yearns to find a position in society that would ultimately give him some sense of identity. Through the act of storytelling the “old man, Fransisco” made efforts to try and guide a path for Abel to follow his native traditions. But at a young age, Abel found it nearly impossible to conform to the ideas and traditions of the “Pueblo people” (34) He did not want to label himself as something he saw no identity in (34). However, when Abel grew “old enough,” and Francisco grew elderly, the teachings he enforced upon Abel began to sink in and become “clear” because he came back to the reservations to take on caring for Francisco (156). During this time they spent together, Francisco mentioned a spiritual tradition
The loss of Abel’s Indian identity is a struggle that is faced throughout House Made of Dawn. Abel yearns to find a position in society that would ultimately give him some sense of identity. Through the act of storytelling the “old man, Fransisco” made efforts to try and guide a path for Abel to follow his native traditions. But at a young age, Abel found it nearly impossible to conform to the ideas and traditions of the “Pueblo people” (34) He did not want to label himself as something he saw no identity in (34). However, when Abel grew “old enough,” and Francisco grew elderly, the teachings he enforced upon Abel began to sink in and become “clear” because he came back to the reservations to take on caring for Francisco (156). During this time they spent together, Francisco mentioned a spiritual tradition