Crazy Horse And Custer Book Review Examples

- How were Custer’s (Autie) and Crazy Horse’s (Curly) childhood lessons and educations different? How did these differences reflect their culture? Be specific.
Both Curly and Autie had been taught different childhood lessons and both had received different educations. Talking about Curly, he grew up in the society with only one culture dominating. Nature and Sioux were his main teachers. In contrast to that, Autie grew up being surrounded by multicultural society. Secondly, Curly’s father never had any traditional occupation of hunter or a warrior. He was a healer, therefore Curly was always surrounded by his father’s love and care. In comparison to that, Autie’s father had a very strong determination, self-confidence and a hard temper to deal with. He was used to “roaring out” his opinions just to make sure that everyone knew about his position and it was perfectly understood. It had influenced Autie in a certain way also. Every time he did something wrong and had some “child sins” his father did not hesitate to apply physical punishment along with loud yelling in order to teach him how to behave. Also, while Curly was growing up, his mother played a fundamental role in teaching him the Sioux doctrine and the principal that everything they had was supposed to be shared equally. However, Autie’s mother was truly a great mother as well. She fed and clothed Autie, hugged him when he needed it, listened to his adventure stories carefully and sympathetically. She was ideally carrying the role of motherhood. Another thing that must be mentioned is that Curly went through socializing pattern being influenced by his older friends rather than seeking it on his own. He also learned the values of society from animals and nature. On the contrary, Autie learned society values, discipline and respect only from his school teachers. If you speak about Curly again, he was learning hunting and war skills by playing tribe games and hanging out with kolas. While Autie learned his combat skills through West Point military academy he attended. Curly and Autie were raised in different cultural systems. Curly learned everything from people around him, from games he played for fun, animals that supplied food for him and nature that was surrounding him. Autie learned everything from his family members, school teachers and West Point. These different education systems reflect their unique cultural and social aspects. Curly’s cultural characteristics are simple, selfless, honest, pure and traditional. Autie’s cultural characteristics are complex, disciplined, mindful, gentle and open.
- How do your own educational experiences reflect your culture? How does Custer’s or Crazy Horse’s experiences reflect your own experiences in your upbringing? Which way of looking at education to you agree with? Why?
My own educational experience can be described as quite ordinary as for China. I entered primary school when I was 7. In 6 years (at the age of 13), I was transferred to middle school, where I spent 3 more years till I turned 16 years old. After 3 years that I spent in high school I was accepted to university when I was 19. I was taught by Chinese education system for many years and I would call it quite traditional education one. Without doubt it is different from Custer’s and Crazy Horse’s educational systems. Both of them were raised by liberal educational systems. They could choose what to learn rather than follow the schedule that parents planned for them. Our Chinese educational system has been always putting a stress on the control, discipline and obedience as there is a belief that we are putting ourselves in danger if we do not know what we should learn during our best learning age. Most parents believe that they have more life experience than us and as a result much better idea on how to plan our life. To let us have better future, most parents control their children strictly, and we all have to obey and follow the plan they have set for us. I think Custer’s experience reflects my own experience of upbringing. Custer was disciplined and that is the main thing our education teaches us and why we go to school. In today’s society, person without discipline will lack the tools necessary to fulfill successful communication and relationship.