Adventures of an Indian Princess

The Rapier family took their Indian foster child on an adventure to an Indian trading post area. They claimed that she would feel at home because she would be with her type of people. It's ironic that the Rapier's knowledge of Cherokee culture is described as sophisticated because it is actually inaccurate and misguided. The family based their so called knowledge of Indians off of old John Wayne movies and tv reruns of "The Lone Ranger". Instead of finding actual facts and relevant information about the different tribal cultures the Rapier family based their judgements off of general stereotypes. There was a man that was supposed to be dressed as a Cherokee Indian but instead of portraying how a real Indian dressed he was wearing clothing and designs from many different tribes from all around the country. The Rapier family was so interested in the man and how he looked like a real live indian in their eyes, but Arletta knew that no respectable indian would actually wear what he wore. Just because he wore feathers and had tan skin didnt mean he was a real Indian. Another example of irony in the story is the authenticity of the "genuine" Indian goods in the little store. The beads of the jewelry were uneven and the headdress had no real significance when compared to the real Indian headdresses. On the back of the medallion it said "made in Japan" and in real Indian tribes they make their own jewelry and clothing. 

I think the author uses irony within her story because it explains her point of the story a lot stronger than just making serious statements. The irony helps show how the character, Arletta, really feels without being dull and straight forward. The irony used within the story adds humor and keeps the reader interested in what's going on. It helps to strengthen the main point of the story which is that people think they know more than they really do. People base their knowledge off of movies and stories they've heard but they don't always find the real facts. The main character, Arletta, uses her emotions and anger within the story to show the reader how ignorance or lack of intelligence can be offensive. The Rapier family claimed they knew all the facts about the tribes and cultures while Arletta was frustrated by all the things they didn't realize and understand.