'cutting of my long hair' (zitkala-sa) 'land of apples' meaning?
Answers
Land of apples refers to the place where Zitkala-Sa had attended to school. However, due to the biblical associations of the fruit, it could also portend a loss of innocence and the loss of her native state in the partaking of the fruit of knowledge. The apple was referred to as the forbidden fruit of knowledge, the partaking of which led to Adam and Eve's banishment from the Garden of Eden.
i) The cutting of my long hair- Zitkala Sa
Zitkala Sa was a new student of the Carlysle Indian School. She felt like she had lost her freedom on the first
day. She had to speak a new language, wear short skirts, shoes and short hair.
She was never used to these modern etiquette.
When the children were taken to the dining room, she made a mistake.
There was a bell for prayer before breakfast. When the bell rang, Zitkala thought it was time to sit and
eat.
She sat down and began to eat but soon realized that all the children were still standing. This
embarrassed her.
Later she was informed by her friend Judewin that the school authorities were going to cut the hair of
girls who hadn’t got their hair shingled/cut.
In her culture, short/shingled hair was worn by the three kinds of people:
o Unskilled warriors caught by the enemy,
o Mourners and
o Cowards
She went into the living room and disappeared under a cot/bed.
She was searched for, found and was tied to a chair. They cut her hair.
She cried, felt lost and weak.