Dances with the Wolves by Michael Blake - Essay Example

At the outset, the reader is given a glimpse of the character of the protagonist. When, in an attempt to commit suicide, Dunbar rides his horse into battle, he has the courage to face death head on and to stand his ground on the battle field. 1863. The war is at a deadlock. Soldiers, exhausted, are taking a momentary respite from the hard day of battle. Lieutenant Dunbar, gains consciousness, to find himself on the operating table with severe injuries, next in line to have his leg amputated. Dunbar shows immense courage when he decides to put on his boots and stumble back to the battlefield.

He feels disillusioned, frustrated and helpless. “He had raised his arms in a final gesture of farewell to this life…. He had only wanted to die.”1 However, fate and his skill with a horse ensure that he twists and weaves through the enemy lines unscathed. He holds his ground on the battlefield and charges upon line after line of confederate soldiers. Upon seeing this, the morale of the union army is boosted and they charge the field resulting in victory. Dunbar is branded a hero and decorated.

Arriving at Fort Sedgewick, a deserted outpost, near Indian country, Dunbar showed courage, bravery, and a strong sense of duty by choosing to remain when many would have turned back. Dunbar as a reward chose to be posted at the western frontier. . He forgot that he was completely naked; neither clothes nor a weapon to protect him, he bellowed at the enemy.2 When he met the rest of the natives (Wind in His Hair) too, he rushed forward fearlessly without any regard to his safety3 or any danger to his life thereby earning the respect of the Sioux tribe.

He was surrounded by the Sioux tribe where he was putting up. The tribe tried to intimidate him by attempting to steal his horse and scare. To this Dunbar thought that he needs to have a dialogue with the tribe and sets out to see them, and in the way comes across a tribal woman who was injured. He took her to her tribal house, and in the amazement of everyone around they changed their perception about him and welcomed him. After having praised the tribe with his deeds he starts to live with the tribe on a permanent basis.

He begins to build a rapport with the tribe and slowly engages himself in the culture of the tribe. He really appreciates the way the tribe is living and falls in love with the whole way of living which involves simplicity and humility unseen in those days in America. He becomes hero within the tribe when he locates a migrating herd of Buffalo and participates in the hunt. He is given the status of an honoured guest in the tribe and the people love him for helping them hunt the herd of Buffalo for their hunger needs.

While at his stay in the tribe, he falls in love with Stands with a Fist and gets the approval of her father to marry her, and while doing so he abandons his fort for ever. He is given the name “Dances with Wolves” when he was chasing Two Socks and the Sioux were observing his move while he was through the act of