Miller-Pow Wow Highway & Saint Marie

Both Saint Marie and Pow Wow Highway deal with very specific issues regarding genocide and prejudice. In "Saint Marie," both racism and prejudice are overarching themes throughout the short story. One example of this is when she examines the various ways Sister Leopolda discriminates against Native Americans. At the same time, however, Marie pushes her readers to understand why it is important to question such behavior. Faced with an ambitious Marie who seeks sainthood and to "inherit keys," Sister Leopolda senses implicit animosity from forces outside her order. While some of these forces may be literal, some also appear to the reader as metaphorical. Leopolda's behavior indicates how racism can stem from fear of displacement.

However, despite their different ages and backgrounds, Marie and Leopolda understand one another. Each one recognizes the soul of the other, which is fundamental in their relationship. Additionally, each one realizes the limits that the other will go to to make use of the power of organized religion. Perhaps the best example of this is when Marie is being attacked by Leopolda, which included stabbing her with a bread fork and burning her with boiling water. When Marie wakes up and sees the sisters kneeling before her, she believes that she has achieved sainthood. Despite Christian ideals that dictate she serve others, her first priority is to settle the score with Sister Leopolda. Yet, when Marie looks into Leopolda's eyes, she sees a pitiful and weak person. Despite the fact that feelings of malice and desire for revenge are still prevalent, she eventually forgives Leopolda.

Powwow Highway is part drama and part comedy in a road movie where two Native American friends – Philbert Bono and Buddy Red Bow - with conflicting personalities journey off the reservation in Lame Deer, Montana, to free Buddy Red Bow's sister from jail in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Some of the most overarching themes in this film are heritage and prejudice. It is interesting to see the different ways Buddy and Philbert not only interact, but how they view their heritage and ancestry. For example, Philbert is able to retain his warrior name and discover more about his heritage because he is connected to it on a deep and spiritual level. Buddy is the more impatient, younger, ambitious one of the pair, but he is able to learn from Philbert’s deeper insight and understanding of his own heritage and nature. One example of this is when Buddy actually demeans his own heritage: “"You'd think a few lousy beads and some feathers was a culture or something.” It is also important to note the different natues of each man’s journey. Philbert’s journey was more spiritual than Buddy’s; one could describe Buddy’s journey as more materialistic in nature.