Dec 20, 2009

House Made of Dawn | Characters

While Momaday has denied a conscious awareness of his choice, many readers first connect Abel to the biblical Abel, the first victim. The novel explores whether Abel will become a victim and surrender his identity or whether he will become a longhair in a white world. Along the way, Momaday associates Abel with animals: a caged and helpless eagle, hundreds of fish struggling on the shore at night, and the bear (Momaday's favorite animal) with its dark strength and its mythical and spiritual power. Momaday does not offer simple solutions for Abel; even in the dawn runner ceremony at the...