House Made of Dawn (Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: N. Scott Momaday
- First Published: 1968
- Type of Work: Novel
- Genres: Long fiction, Psychological fiction, Bildungsroman, Impressionistic literature, Mystery and detective literature
- Subjects: 1950’s, Maturation or coming of age, Culture, North America or North Americans, Self-discovery, United States or Americans, Tradition, Love or romance, Race, Crime or criminals, Murder or homicide, 1940’s, Friendship, Hope, California, Los Angeles, West, U.S., Spiritual life or spirituality, Alcoholism or alcoholics, Substance abuse, Native Americans or American Indians, Ethnic relations, Veterans, Mysteries, Drugs, Southwest, Priests
- Locales: Los Angeles, CA, New Mexico
House Made of Dawn, Momaday's first novel, is divided into four major sections with dated chapter subheadings. In keeping with the Native American sense of history, the narrative is episodic rather than chronological. Thus, Momaday evokes both a sense of timelessness and a concentration on the essence of each experiential piece, gradually forming a healing pattern for Abel, the protagonist, as he moves toward an internal congruence with the earth.
Part 1, “The Longhair,” opens and closes with Francisco, Abel's grandfather. A drunken Abel arrives by bus and is taken...
[The entire page is 1358 words long]
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