Assignment 13

1. Who is Numanah?

 Numanah is the head man of the Indians. They often call Numanah grandfather. 

2. What is the significance of the title?

He is stuck in the sacred circle. He tries to run away, but he doesn't know where he can go to. 

3. What does the opening line remind you of in regard to religion?

It looks like he is praying to God and he asks for grace. This reminds us of God, curch and praying.

4. Look at the list of themes in assignment 12, once again, and decide which of these relate to the poem and why. Give examples from the poem to explain your answers.

• Hopes and dreams: because he asks for grace.
• Home: because he is searching for a place where he wants to stay.
• Identity: because he doesn't know his identity.

5. What "shame" does the poet refer to? 

 He's ashamed of himself, because he is an Indian.

6. How does the idea of living in-between cultures relate to the themes mentioned in assignment 12 and use examples from the poem to explain your answer.

• Identity: Numanah has an identity crisis. He doesn’t feel comfortable with his own people.
• Hopes and dreams: Numanah has many hopes and dreams to run away to a better place.
• Home: Numanah is searching for a home.
• Education: Numanah doesn't go to school.
• Race: This story is about the Indian race.
• Traditions and customs: The poem talks about some traditions of the Indians. For example: “I never asked to be the son of a stained mattress who contemplated venison stew and knew the shame hidden in grease clouds stuck to the wall behind the woodstove where Grandmother cooked.”
• Poverty: Numanah has no money to start another life somewhere else.
• Mortality: We think Numanah is affraid to die.