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As a result of his experience of being stripped from his culture -which valued life in all forms- the writings of Simon Ortiz refute the ideals of the American Dream. His poetry reflects his struggle to fit into American society while staying true to his cultural roots- a feat made impossible by the elitist, selfish, and exploitative themes of American culture.

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In a thorough analysis of excerpts from his book, Woven Stone, Simon Ortiz clearly portrays his opinions against the ideas of the American Dream. As a young child, Simon Ortiz read stories about characters such as 🤬 and Jane who “lived in a house with a lawn and a white picket fence,” and he “knew they were different” as he went through his childhood years in poverty. When he left his home to live outside of Acoma, he “did not come to live in that mythical American home, but in drab, standard housing the railroad company provided to it’s section crew workers”(Woven Stone, Ortiz). A young Ortiz finds himself searching for his place in American society the way the characters in his stories did, and in doing so he describes how “just as it claimed land and sovereignty, American society can claim your soul.” In his early writings he felt himself in denial of his cultural heritage and instead favoured that of the “Mericano ways.” He writes that “this phenomenon is why heritage, culture, even native languages, and identity are ignored, forgotten, and lost(Woven Stone).” So from this viewpoint the idea that the American Dream exists specifically to promote a way of life that erases non-white cultures makes clear sense.

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Ortiz’s poem, “Hunger in New York City”, discusses his emotions as he navigates through American society and the feelings of emptiness and dissatisfaction the American Dream provides. Looking around at New York City, Ortiz aches for “All the concrete of this city,” to fulfil him, “for them to feed [himself] with.” (Ortiz) The “hunger” he experiences in the city eventually forces him to return home, and in doing so he embraces his childhood culture by “[singing] to [himself] quietly,” and “feeding [himself] with the humble presence of all around [him].”(Ortiz) Ortiz’s time spent in New York City is symbolic of living the American Dream, and yet all he experienced was hunger and dissatisfaction. He was left constantly wanting more, being overcome by the greedy nature of American society. American greed is a common theme throughout Ortiz’s writings, and throughout history, and it is the very thing that has eradicated so many indigenous cultures. Because this greed is so deeply embedded into our culture and thereby the American Dream, it would seem that the American Dream is a toxic ideal which contrasts to other cultures such as NAtive American ones that value life, humility, and nature above all else.

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Furthermore, in the eyes of Simon Ortiz, the American Dream is directly anti-indigenous. Ever since the Americas were first colonized, “the history of Native Americans” says Ortiz, [has been] largely filtered through the ideological lens of U.S. Supremacy that denies indigenous people agency and a sense of place in America.” Historically, the ideals of the American Dream were used to encourage people to spread further west and colonize more land, and to do this it became necessary to dehumanize the ideginous peoples of the land in order to justify their genocide. So it seems as if Ortiz doesn’t deny that the ideas of the American Dream exist and are possibly achievable, but rather that the American Dream only benefits white Americans and it serves to the detriment of native people as well as other non-white citizens.

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About Gale In Context: High School Explore thousands of topics across subjects including literature, science, history, and social issues using different sources. Don't know how to login? Depending on this location's preferences, the log-in process could include your library card number, a student or user ID, or another provided password.

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Ortiz, Simon J. Woven Stone. Univ. of Arizona Press, 2006.

“Simon J. Ortiz.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/simon-j-ortiz.

“Simon J. Ortiz.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/simon-j-ortiz.

Tanner, Travis J. "Reading 'From Sand Creek'." The Kenyon Review, vol. 32, no. 1, winter 2010, pp. 142+. Gale In Context: High School, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A215925786/SUIC?u=clar33415&sid=bookmark-SUIC&xid=b33fce68. Accessed 21 Feb. 2022.

Ortiz, Simon J. "Must." World Literature Today, vol. 93, no. 4, autumn 2019, p. 55. Gale In Context: High School, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A601907062/SUIC?u=clar33415&sid=bookmark-SUIC&xid=1cdb4a4c. Accessed 22 Feb. 2022.

Ortiz, Simon J. Woven Stone. Univ. of Arizona Press, 2006.

"Explanation: My Father's Song." EXPLORING Poetry, Gale, 2003. Gale In Context: High School, link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ2114736018/SUIC?u=clar33415&sid=bookmark-SUIC&xid=4cf27b99. Accessed 22 Feb. 2022.

“Southwest: Simon Ortiz: PWNA Resources - Partnership with Native Americans.” Southwest: Simon Ortiz | PWNA Resources - Partnership With Native Americans, http://www.nativepartnership.org/site/PageServer?pagename=PWNA_Native_Biography_simonortiz.

“Simon J. Ortiz.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/simon-j-ortiz.

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According to Ortiz, the oral tradition of Native Americans has slowly been erased by Western style storytelling- helping to erase the entirety on Indigenous culture in America.  In “oral storytelling mode… the teller talk(s) his or her way into the tale, not leaving out the steps to getting there,” meanwhile western storytelling “generally values a more finished story product.” By ignoring small details and each intricate step throughout a story, particularly one of history, it becomes very easy to over-simplify or even erase entire cultures and peoples from memory. Native American history is so easily brushed over in history because talking about the people who colonised this land is easier and more conclusive than talking about the people who were colonised. Furthermore, as indigenous peoples throughout American history have been killed off, forced to leave their homes, and indoctrinated by residential schools, their oral tradition has been cut off substantially. Those who still remember are forced to write it down to ensure that future generations have access to it, but writing is not the same as speech, and few people want to read each personal detail traditionally incorporated in oral storytelling.

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About Gale In Context: High School Explore thousands of topics across subjects including literature, science, history, and social issues using different sources. Don't know how to login? Depending on this location's preferences, the log-in process could include your library card number, a student or user ID, or another provided password.