Previous
Tom Poor Bear
On Mary’s last day at missionary school, she punched a new priest in the nose because he mocked a shy boy in the class for not pronouncing an English word correctly. She then demanded an early release from missionary school, which was granted. Her boldness suggests that standing up for oneself is preferable to passivity, as one can actually create change by taking action. Later on in life, Mary became friends with the priest, as he eventually became an advocate for Native Americans’ civil rights, supporting the American Indian Movement (AIM) during the Occupation of Wounded Knee. He represents the idea that the fight for equal rights should be an inclusive one—anyone can join in and support causes like the AIM.
Get the entire Lakota Woman LitChart as a printable PDF.
The Priest Character Timeline in Lakota Woman
The timeline below shows where the character The Priest appears in Lakota Woman. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 3: Civilize Them with a Stick
One day, a new priest was teaching English. During class, the priest commanded a shy student to repeat an answer...
(full context)
...Mary that she was free to go. Years later, Mary became friends with the same priest she punched; he became an advocate for many Native American causes.
(full context)
