Standing Bear Character Analysis in Black Elk Speaks

Standing Bear is Black Elk’s friend; he’s a Minneconjou Lakota. He is present during Black Elk’s conversations with Neihardt. Because Standing Bear is a few years older than Black Elk, Black Elk consults him to verify parts of his life that he was too young to remember. Standing Bear participates in the Battle of Little Big Horn.

Standing Bear Character Timeline in Black Elk Speaks

The timeline below shows where the character Standing Bear appears in Black Elk Speaks. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

The Loss of Culture and Community Theme Icon

Standing Bear , Black Elk’s friend who is four years older than him, tells the audience that... (full context)

...longer in pain. His parents tell him he’d been sick for 12 days, but that Standing Bear ’s uncle, Whirlwind Chaser (who is a medicine man) cured him. Everyone is glad that... (full context)

...Black Elk walks down to a creek, shoots a green frog, and feels sad afterward. Standing Bear interjects, verifying that Black Elk was different after he recovered from his illness, that he... (full context)

The Transformative Power of Ceremony Theme Icon

Standing Bear recalls killing his first grown bison on this hunt, which occurred in the Moon of... (full context)

Standing Bear offers his own perspective on the battle, though he didn’t fight in it. He recalls... (full context)

Standing Bear recalls the battle from his perspective. He had been in the Minneconjou camp along the... (full context)

Iron Hawk, who was 14 during the battle, elaborates on Standing Bear ’s recollection, describing how a crier entered the Hunkpapa camp to announce that the soldiers... (full context)

...story to Neihardt, he never told one person all of his vision—not even his friend, Standing Bear , or his son, Ben Black Elk. He wonders whether he will die, now that... (full context)

...21 years old, he performs the elk ceremony, which symbolizes growth. He enlists Running Elk, Standing Bear ’s uncle, to help. Six men are selected to be the elk, and four virgins... (full context)