Character Analysis: Waterlily in the Novel Waterlily - Essay Example

Character Analysis. Waterlily in the Novel “Waterlily” Waterlily is the main character of the novel by Ella Cara Deloria, “Waterlily”. This story tells the reader about her life from her infancy. The story of Waterlily is filled with the life facts of Dakota tribe and their customs on the basis of which this character was formed. As the tribes were like large families and they did not know the essense of feminism, the reader may expect to see Waterlily as kind, tolerant and friendly woman. She might be house-proud and hospitable. The traditions say that woman should obey the man despite her desires, so she can become flexible and discreet, but at the same time enough stubborn. Let`s see, if this assumption is true. The reader first meets this pretty girl with her mother who walked away from people to the water`s edge with wonderful flowers in the full bloom. Bluebird, the mother of Waterlily, sees her babys face among the flowers “as beautiful as the waterlilies. You too are a waterlily, my waterlily”.  The girl was curious and stubborn, like many kids. From childhood she does not want to change the decision she made once. For example, the event with charcoals could become dangerous for her. She took in into her mouth and was full determination not to give it back easily. Thus, despite attempts of the neighbor boy to make her smile, she did not open her mouth. She was charmed with his try, but she did not want to give up fast. However, she was a joyful, friendly and cheerful girl, and soon the boy who made her to laugh – Little Chief became her friend. Mother raised little daughter obedient and according to the canons of the tribe, so “Waterlily was a rolypoly and needed no urging” (89). She even started to speak late, despite her best friend`s attempts to study her. Waterlily is a little shy girl. For, example, she learned to speak, but trained alone in order not to be ridiculed. The world around her creates Waterlily`s outlook and consciousness of a young child does not ask more questions about how and why an event is happening. At this age, she appears to the reader as a person for whom public opinion is important. At the age of 6 years the girl became interested how she was in her infancy. Her granny added she was “never quiet. Her curiosity and activity and vitality was noted: “You used to take my two braids for reins as if you were on horseback, and pull first this way and then that way until you had my eyelids stretched back”. (140) Soon, it happened so, that Waterlily should pass through the ceremony of “beloved” child. She grew emotional and sensitive girl, but she began to realize that not all the senses should be shown. Despite the inner excitement she tries to keep with dignity and not to disappoint her family. She wanted and tried to be worthy to honor. She wants to be reliable. She grew a good girl who sincerely rejoiced her brother`s success, in fact it was personally important to her too. The reader may notice that she is very devoted and even noble, because often someone elses success can cause only the envy. Good education of her mother and grandmother has saved the girl from lifes disappointments and social traditions of the tribe did not let her heart become stale. For her Dakota are the families. Waterlily felt wonderful and excited to share brother`s triumph and worrying a lot: “She would be so proud to carry the decorated pole with the trophy mounted away up there at the top — but could she endure the gaze of so many spectators?” She did not want to betray someone`s belief. Growing girl is described as “fast becoming “bashful,” as a well-trained young girl was expected to be”. The family can be called one of her priorities, as “it was something of a personal triumph for her when the stepfather was bidden to the Kit Fox society”. The successes of the family members make Waterlily to feel sense of pride and community. Perhaps, she can be characterized as a woman without selfishness. She is kind and robust. The years passed, making Waterlily more thoughtful and observant. While growing she began to show more interest to the ceremonies and ritual dances, still sensitive to the successes and failures, her own and to those, who were close to her, but still she was very curious person. She became a small-boned and delicate build woman. Nevertheless, the reader cannot say that she is open and overly sociable person. Dakota women were not “talkers”, preferring honest work to empty talks, they discreet their emotions. So Waterlily did. Adolescent amorousness has passed for Waterlily without much suffering. Her feelings did not have time to find form; she removed it from the heart as it seemed to her logical solution. So, “she decided that she would forget everything relating to that youthful singer”, especially due to the fact he was not trying to find her and her initiative was forbidden for a “good” woman. So, she can`t be called amorous. The heroine starts to think about the wedding, then she decides to preserve the virginity, then asks the mother`s council, because she does not know how to act with a choice: debt (what society expects from her), or feelings that now she does not feel. Later the reader can note, that in contrary to her mother`s opinion Waterlily does not deny the idea of plural wives, thinking it bring harmonious household (273). She is tolerant. Her husband, Sacred Horse, could praise her to his friends, as she “went at her home tasks systematically” and her mother-in-law could not, but admired her, saying “My daughter-in-law is indeed a fine woman — a good worker and with much skill in womanly crafts”. It emphasizes she is house-proud, neat and hospitable. Like many young women, Waterlily was tormented by doubts about the choice of a life partner. However, she has recommended herself to be a good housewife. It seems that when she married, she felt freer, more secure and more respectful in the society. However, she did not feel completely happy, despite the affectionate husband and honor. According to the tribe traditions she was forced to leave home after marriage and from this moment she was experiencing a kind alienation and loneliness. Her sense of duty was developed enough to be a good wife and a mistress, but not enough to simulate ardent passion for her husband. The most worth her doing, as it may seem to reader, she made during the outbreak of the epidemic, when she has taken custody of eight children whose mothers went to die. However, it should be noted, that it would be quite a feat for a modern human, living in a big city, but in reality of the Dakota tribe it did not seem so striking. Nevertheless, it was right and noble, and Waterlily coped with the kids successfully. Again one can notice her kindness, but she could not act in another manner. One of the most serious blows to her life was the death of one of the boys, Robin. His death shocked her, Water Lily for the first time been able to comprehend the grief of the death of another person. This brought her pain and fear. Then death took her husband too. Waterlily really worried about it, intending to stay with him until the very end, but he insisted to face death alone. I can not imagine what you would need more strength for: to look after a dying loved one, or to leave him along with the death. Perhaps, it can be also called a sign of inner strength of a little woman. It was a sign of her respect and reverence to her husband. This disaster has turned a young girl to a grown-up woman, finally taking away the vital naivety. To some extent all death crippled her spirit; and her relation to the opportunity of a new marriage - because she was young and still beautiful - was indifferent, soon she completely immersed in caring for her son, whom she named Mitawa (My Own). I think it can be a sigh of loneliness, longing desire not to give anything more for destiny. The time passed, and she really married once more with Lowanla, but “she was older and far wiser now; she had herself well in hand. She was marrying in a quieter mood and with tribal approval. For the Dakota woman nothing could be better than that” (346). It showed that her heart was not stab, as she was thinking after the death of Sacre Horse. One can say she is enough flexible to adopt the circumstances. The story comes to the fact that this time Waterlily will be truly happy. Waterlily can not be seen as a bright character. Many women have the similar features and lives nowadays. The result of her development as a character is rather the merit of described age than current events. Waterlily is presented to reader as an ordinary woman with kind heart, who was diligently performing according the mother`s advices and working for the good of the family. This story probably was to emphasize the role of women and the attitude of the community to them, on the example of the heroine herself and her mother, whose fate cannot be called similar, however, to sum up, it should be noted that the expactations about Waterlily`s character were justified. Works Cited Ella Cara Deloria (1990). Waterlily, University of Nebraska Press. Print. Read More