It's intriguing that in a novel focused on the struggles of Native Americans within a predominantly white society, House Made of Dawn includes very little overt prejudice from its characters. The novel's most brutal character, Martinez, does not reveal any racially motivated reasons for his behavior. Despite his Spanish last name, he symbolizes white culture no more than Abel does. The two white women, Angela and Milly, treat Abel with kindness and respect his cultural heritage.

Tosamah is the sole character who openly discusses racial differences. He sarcastically commends whites for their oppression of Native Americans. This bias mirrors Tosamah's own prejudice against Native Americans who follow traditional practices. His scornful comments about "longhairs," those who maintain traditional ways and resist urban adaptation, are so severe that they alienate Abel.

Many critics interpret Momaday's novel as an exploration of the difficulties Native Americans encounter when compelled to assimilate into mainstream society. This theme is evident in the protagonist Abel's journey as he returns home after serving in World War II.

As the story progresses, Abel reflects on the cultural clash between his Native American identity and the predominantly white world during his military service. Under attack and facing an advancing tank, Abel stands, shouts, dances, sings, and makes an obscene gesture at the tank. Momaday leaves it unclear whether this scene is part of a military trial testimony (it ends with Abel fleeing into the trees), but it is evident that such behavior is atypical under enemy fire.

When Abel returns inebriated to Walatowa, it is clear that he has not fully adopted white cultural norms. Yet, it soon becomes evident that he is also uncomfortable within his Native American culture. While his grandfather, Francisco, recalls trying to teach him "the old ways," Abel only remembers vague instructions: "You ought to do this and that." During a rooster-grabbing competition at the festival, he performs clumsily, "full of caution and gesture." Ultimately, he kills the competition's champion after perceiving him as transforming into an animal—a metamorphosis typical in Native American tales like Benally's story of a Bear and a Snake.

After his release from prison, Abel lives within the Native American community in Los Angeles. He attends services led by Tosamah, who acts as both pastor and Priest of the Sun. Unlike his friend Ben, who successfully integrates his native culture with the dominant white culture, Abel struggles to reconcile these two facets of his life. When his heritage and pride are insulted, he quits his job, withdraws from society, and spends his time drinking. Ultimately, he finds a measure of balance between the two cultures: he honors his grandfather's passing with both a Christian ceremony and an Indian race at dawn.

In the novel, Native American culture is deeply intertwined with the elements of nature. Their traditions center around natural items, like the sparrow feathers Francisco gathers for a prayer plume and the rooster used in a traditional game. When there is a balance between people and nature, it indicates that the world is operating as it should.

The novel's characters embody this harmony. Francisco, an older farmer, is depicted as possessing "an ethnic, planter's love of harvest, and of rain." Abel shows a profound connection to the wood he chops, which fascinates the white woman, Angela. She observes, "He gave himself up to it," appreciating the elegance of his movements. When Milly is with Abel, she is described as moving her mouth "like a small animal."

Abel's problem is that as he distances himself from his native traditions, he also loses touch with nature. He remembers seeing an...