White Cow Sees / Black Elk’s mother Character Analysis in Black Elk Speaks

White Cow Sees is Black Elk’s mother. She is proud of her son’s accomplishments in battle, which she demonstrates by celebrating when he returns home from the Battle of Little Bighorn with his first scalp. White Cow Sees is affectionate toward Black Elk, as evidenced by the concern she expresses when he is ill as a child and by her happiness when he returns home from his long trip to Europe. In turn, Black Elk takes care of White Cow Sees: Black Elk’s father and siblings die while he is in Europe with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, and when Black Elk returns home, he works at a Wasichu store to support her.

White Cow Sees / Black Elk’s mother Quotes in Black Elk Speaks

The Black Elk Speaks quotes below are all either spoken by White Cow Sees / Black Elk’s mother or refer to White Cow Sees / Black Elk’s mother. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

).

Then I was sitting up; and I was sad because my mother and my father didn’t seem to know I had been so far away.

Related Characters: Black Elk (speaker), Black Elk’s father, White Cow Sees / Black Elk’s mother

Page Number and Citation: 29

Explanation and Analysis:

The next morning all the swelling had left my face and legs and arms, and I felt well as ever; but everything around me seemed strange and as though it were far away. I remember that for twelve days after that I wanted to be alone, and it seemed I did not belong to my people. They were almost like strangers. I would be out alone away from the village and the other boys, and I would look around to the four quarters, thinking of my vision and wishing I could get back there again. I would go home to eat, but I could not make myself eat much; and my father and mother thought that I was sick yet; but I was not. I was only homesick for the place where I had been.

Related Characters: Black Elk (speaker), Black Elk’s father, White Cow Sees / Black Elk’s mother

Page Number and Citation: 31

Explanation and Analysis:

White Cow Sees / Black Elk’s mother Quotes in Black Elk Speaks

The Black Elk Speaks quotes below are all either spoken by White Cow Sees / Black Elk’s mother or refer to White Cow Sees / Black Elk’s mother. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

).

Then I was sitting up; and I was sad because my mother and my father didn’t seem to know I had been so far away.

Related Characters: Black Elk (speaker), Black Elk’s father, White Cow Sees / Black Elk’s mother

Page Number and Citation: 29

Explanation and Analysis:

The next morning all the swelling had left my face and legs and arms, and I felt well as ever; but everything around me seemed strange and as though it were far away. I remember that for twelve days after that I wanted to be alone, and it seemed I did not belong to my people. They were almost like strangers. I would be out alone away from the village and the other boys, and I would look around to the four quarters, thinking of my vision and wishing I could get back there again. I would go home to eat, but I could not make myself eat much; and my father and mother thought that I was sick yet; but I was not. I was only homesick for the place where I had been.

Related Characters: Black Elk (speaker), Black Elk’s father, White Cow Sees / Black Elk’s mother

Page Number and Citation: 31

Explanation and Analysis: