I was recently on the Amtrak from Boston to New York City and I noticed something interesting. There were very few people of color onboard. In fact, I would say that the vast majority of passengers were white American.
As someone who is not white American, this made me curious. What is the reason for this? Are Native Americans not allowed to take the Amtrak? Do they not have the money to afford it?
I did some research and it turns out that there are a number of reasons why Native Americans are underrepresented on the Amtrak. One reason is that many reservations are located in rural areas, far from train stations. Another reason is that Amtrak tickets can be expensive, especially for long distance travel.
There are other factors at play as well. For example, Native Americans may not be aware of the Amtrak or its routes. They may also feel unwelcome onboard due to the history of racism and discrimination against Native Americans in the United States.
This is an issue that needs to be addressed. Native Americans should have equal access to transportation, including the Amtrak. There should be more outreach to reservations and Native American communities to let them know about the Amtrak and its benefits. Additionally, ticket prices should be lowered or subsidized to make it more affordable for Native Americans.
The topic of the poem is presented in the title “On the Amtrak from Boston to New York City,” which relates to a white woman and a Native American individual who were on a train together. The speaker is contemplating what was taking place when they were meditating about the “white” lady and other passengers, including an older white woman regarding the city’s brief history as they passed landmarks of Native American Culture.
The speaker then reflects on the “white” woman’s ancestors and how they might have stolen land from the Native Americans. The poem ends with the speaker wondering if the “white” woman will ever give anything back to the Native Americans.
The poem brings up the issue of race, specifically between white Americans and Native Americans. It highlights the history of Native Americans being oppressed and stolen from, while also asking if anything will ever be done to right these wrongs. The poem speaks to the current climate of America, where racial tensions are high and many are fighting for justice.
The conversation’s primary topic was the male’s anger at the woman for being ignorant of what land had been taken from him and his forefathers. He gave her orange juice because it was said next, in which he honors all elders, it might have been out of kindness.
That indicates that the character is going to be more important than himself; he knows that being nasty to this lady will now remedy any problems. It also suggests a possible theme of self-importance or egotism. The woman, who is white, is talking about how her family has been in America for generations and how they’ve never had any problems with the Native Americans. She doesn’t seem to understand why he’s so upset.
The conversation then went to the topic of how this woman was not from America and that she should go back. The man said “you’re not from here” in a way that could be interpreted as he does not think that she is good enough to be an American. It shows that he has a higher opinion of himself, and puts her on a lower level than him.
This also could be interpreted as him subconsciously putting her in the category of people who are not like him, which would be anyone who is not white. He then goes on to say “we took this land” which automatically means that he is talking about Native Americans, and how they were pushed out or killed for their land.
The fact that he says “we” takes away any responsibility he has as an individual and puts it on an entire race. It is important to note that the woman does not argue with him, and takes everything he says in. She seems to be trying to understand his point of view, but at the same time she is not agreeing with him. It is possible that she is just being polite, or she could actually disagree with him but does not want to start an argument.
Overall, this conversation shows the man’s frustration with the ignorance of the woman, and how he views her as being below him because she is not from America. It also shows how he perceives Native Americans, and how he sees himself in relation to them.
“On the Amtrak from Boston to New York” was a fantastic play written by Sherman Alexie. The enraged passenger on the train is portrayed as someone who does not adore his nation, however he appears to believe that there is more to American history than others understand.
Alexie also touches on the topics of race and Native Americans. As a white American, I can’t help but feel that this play is missing something.
While Alexie’s play provides an interesting perspective, I can’t help but feel that it is somewhat one-sided. We are never given the chance to see the other side of the story – the side of the Native Americans. I understand that this play is meant to be a commentary on race relations in America, but I can’t help but feel that it is missing something.
I would recommend this play to someone who is interested in exploring different perspectives on American history. However, I would caution anyone who is looking for a balanced view of race relations in America to look elsewhere.
What was the history of the land before Columbus discovered the New World? The speaker’s attitude toward his country’s history and Native Americans was indifferent, bitter, and strongly opinionated. When Sherman describes his lack of interest in the woman on the train, his apathetic demeanor becomes obvious. He implies that he is a narrow-minded individual when he writes, “I don’t care about Walden.”
Sherman doesn’t seem to value anything that isn’t American and he is bitter about the way Indians are treated. It seems as if he doesn’t want to acknowledge the fact that Native Americans existed before white people came to America. In his opinion, they should be grateful that white people decided to share the land with them.
Sherman’s views on race are very hypocritical because he is a white man himself. On one hand, he talks about how whites are better than Indians and how they should be thankful for what the white man has done for them. On the other hand, he claims that black people are taking over America and ruining it. This just goes to show how ignorant and uneducated Sherman is.
It is evident that Sherman is a very racist person. He doesn’t seem to understand that people of all races are equal. He is clearly not open-minded and is very ignorant about other cultures. This is evident when he talks about how “the Mexicans are taking over California”. He doesn’t realize that people of all races have a right to live in any state, not just white people. Sherman’s views on race are harmful and contribute to the racism that exists in America today.