Sovereign Stories: Aesthetics, Autonomy and Contemporary Native American Writing

358 Pages·2013·3.214 MB·English

by  Padraig Kirwan

American Studies: Culture, Society and the Arts 8 American Studies: Culture, Society and the Arts
Sovereign Stories examines contemporary Native American writers’ engage- P
a Padraig Kirwan
ment with various forms of cultural, political, and artistic sovereignty. The d
author considers literature’s ability to initiate vital discussions about tribal ra
autonomy in modern America and suggests that innovative literary styles are ig
a compelling articulation of the connection between aesthetic and political K Sovereign Stories
i
concerns. In so doing, he concentrates on fi ctional and poetic forms, the r
w
structure and imagery of which comment on indigenous autonomy, self-
a
determination, and artistic activism. Offering original selective analysis n

of the fi ction and poetry of Elizabeth Cook-Lynn, Sherman Alexie, David Aesthetics, Autonomy, and

Treuer, LeAnne Howe, Louise Erdrich, Greg Sarris, and Craig Womack, this •
book explores these tribal authors’ concern with intellectual and creative Contemporary Native American Writing
C S
sovereignty and deftly links those interests to the broader cultural and o o
political issues faced by Native American communities today. nt ve
e r
m e
i
g
p
n
In Sovereign Stories, Padraig Kirwan considers the notion of “aesthetic o
r S
sovereignty” and wades fully into some of the most controversial and a t
r o
complicated issues in Indigenous literature criticism today. The resulting y r
i
readings are refreshing, incisive, often contentious, and always impressive. N e
Kirwan’s study is a provocative, well-researched, and carefully considered a s:
t
i A
scholarly contribution to the fi eld, and all the more welcome for its intellectual v
e e
generosity and fair-mindedness. s
A t
— Daniel Heath Justice, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Literature h
m e
and Expressive Culture, University of British Columbia e ti
r c
i s
Sovereign Stories takes many turns and pathways—all leading to the story of ca ,
A
n
American Indian tribal sovereignty. It will teach on both sides of the big waters! u
— LeAnne Howe, author of Choctalking on Other Realities W to
r n
it o
in m
g y
,

a
n
Padraig Kirwan is Lecturer in the Literature of the Americas at Goldsmiths,
d
University of London. He has published articles in NOVEL, Comparative
Literature, the Journal of American Studies, and the American Indian Culture
and Research Journal, and is co-editor of the volume Affecting Irishness:
Negotiating Cultural Identity Within and Beyond the Nation (2009).
ISBN 978-3-0343-0203-6
www.peterlang.com PETER LANG
American Studies: Culture, Society and the Arts 8 American Studies: Culture, Society and the Arts
Sovereign Stories examines contemporary Native American writers’ engage- P
a Padraig Kirwan
ment with various forms of cultural, political, and artistic sovereignty. The d
author considers literature’s ability to initiate vital discussions about tribal ra
autonomy in modern America and suggests that innovative literary styles are ig
a compelling articulation of the connection between aesthetic and political K Sovereign Stories
i
concerns. In so doing, he concentrates on fi ctional and poetic forms, the r
w
structure and imagery of which comment on indigenous autonomy, self-
a
determination, and artistic activism. Offering original selective analysis n

of the fi ction and poetry of Elizabeth Cook-Lynn, Sherman Alexie, David Aesthetics, Autonomy, and

Treuer, LeAnne Howe, Louise Erdrich, Greg Sarris, and Craig Womack, this •
book explores these tribal authors’ concern with intellectual and creative Contemporary Native American Writing
C S
sovereignty and deftly links those interests to the broader cultural and o o
political issues faced by Native American communities today. nt ve
e r
m e
i
g
p
n
In Sovereign Stories, Padraig Kirwan considers the notion of “aesthetic o
r S
sovereignty” and wades fully into some of the most controversial and a t
r o
complicated issues in Indigenous literature criticism today. The resulting y r
i
readings are refreshing, incisive, often contentious, and always impressive. N e
Kirwan’s study is a provocative, well-researched, and carefully considered a s:
t
i A
scholarly contribution to the fi eld, and all the more welcome for its intellectual v
e e
generosity and fair-mindedness. s
A t
— Daniel Heath Justice, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Literature h
m e
and Expressive Culture, University of British Columbia e ti
r c
i s
Sovereign Stories takes many turns and pathways—all leading to the story of ca ,
A
n
American Indian tribal sovereignty. It will teach on both sides of the big waters! u
— LeAnne Howe, author of Choctalking on Other Realities W to
r n
it o
in m
g y
,

a
n
Padraig Kirwan is Lecturer in the Literature of the Americas at Goldsmiths,
d
University of London. He has published articles in NOVEL, Comparative
Literature, the Journal of American Studies, and the American Indian Culture
and Research Journal, and is co-editor of the volume Affecting Irishness:
Negotiating Cultural Identity Within and Beyond the Nation (2009).
www.peterlang.com PETER LANG
Sovereign Stories
American Studies: Culture, Society and the Arts
Edited by
Shamoon Zamir
Volume 8
PETER LANG
Oxford l Bern l Berlin l Bruxelles l Frankfurt am Main l New York l Wien
Padraig Kirwan
Sovereign Stories
Aesthetics, Autonomy, and
Contemporary Native American Writing
PETER LANG
Oxford l Bern l Berlin l Bruxelles l Frankfurt am Main l New York l Wien
Bibliographic information published by Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalb iblio-
grafie; detailed bibliographic data is available on the Internet at http://dnb.d-nb.de.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Kirwan, Padraig.
Sovereign stories : aesthetics, autonomy, and contemporary Native American writing /
Padraig Kirwan.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-3-0343-0203-6 (alk. paper)
1. American literature--Indian authors--History and criticism. 2. American literature-
-20th century--History and criticism. 3. American literature--21st century--History and
criticism. 4. Politics and literature--United States--History--20th century. 5. Politics and
literature--United States--History--21st century. 6. Indians of North America--Intellectual
life. 7. Indians in literature. 8. Sovereignty in literature. 9. Autonomy in literature. I.
Title.
PS153.I52K57 2013
810.9’897--dc23
2013023732
Cover image: Star Wallowing Bull, A Five Star Double Feature © 2013.
An earlier version of Chapter 4, “‘All the Talk and All the Silence’: Literary
Aesthetics and Cultural Boundaries in David Treuer’s Little”, appeared in NOVEL:
A Forum on Fiction 44.3 (2011), 444–465.
ISSN 1661-4712
ISBN 978-3-0343-0203-6 (print)
ISBN 978-3-0353-0526-5 (eBook)
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For Marion

Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Chapter 1
Introduction 1
Chapter 2
Who’s Afraid of Elizabeth Cook-Lynn?
Nationalism and Voice in Aurelia 39
Chapter 3
“Indigenous to the Land, an Immigrant to the Culture”:
Sherman Alexie and the Third Space of Sovereignty 65
Chapter 4
“All the Talk and All the Silence”: Literary Aesthetics and
Cultural Boundaries in David Treuer’s Little 117
Chapter 5
Portrait of the Artist: Authority, Autonomy, and Authorship
in Louise Erdrich’s Shadow Tag 151
Chapter 6
Choctalking: The Realities of Fiction in LeAnne Howe’s
Shell Shaker 217
viii
Chapter 7
“Not a Chaotic Wake, Not an Empty Space”:
The Future of Art, Life, and Criticism in the Work of
Craig Womack and Greg Sarris 263
Bibliography 319
Index 335