Painted Turtle (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Clarence Major
- First Published: 1988
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Experimental
- Time of Work: The 1930’s to the 1980’s
- Setting: Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico
- Genres: Long fiction, Antistory
- Subjects: North America or North Americans, Self-discovery, United States or Americans, Tradition, Racism, Sexism, Love or romance, Twentieth century, Gender roles, Self, Prejudices or antipathies, Dreams, West, U.S., Spiritual life or spirituality, Rape, Native Americans or American Indians, Multiculturalism, Singing or singers, Arizona, Colorado, Guitars or guitar players, Mysticism, New Mexico, Southwest
- Locales: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico
Characters Discussed
Painted Turtle, a female Zuni singer and guitar player whose alienation from her culture allows her to transcend reality through her music. Early in her life, she yearns to be a boy and experience the freedom of her father’s sphere; however, she must learn the confining ways of the worlds of her mother and grandmother. She is raped at the age of thirteen and gives birth to twins. Most of the Zuni interpret this as a curse, and their attitude strengthens the discomfort she feels concerning the demands and expectations placed on her as a result of her...
[The entire page is 965 words long]
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