A Man Called Horse

A Man Called Horse

The man called Horse is a short story by Dorothy Johnson, which talks about a man who was deprived of freedom during his captivity as a slave in India. The story conveyed a powerful message about the true meaning of freedom (Johnson, 137).  Horse who came from a wealthy family and had everything at his disposal did not like the life he was living as he wanted to live among equals; he wanted freedom. Horse travelled west from Boston, which was yet to be conquered. There he was captured and taken as a slave by the Indian crow tribe. Everything he ever wished for seems to be taken away. Yellow Robe took him to his village and made Horse serve his mother Old Greasy Hand among the other four slaves (Witt 62). Life here proved troublesome as they are treated like dogs; they made him drink water from a paddle like a dog. He often daydreams how he will narrate his story when he escapes from his slavery. He realizes that he can never escape his captors, unlike  Horse, he could not survive on his own. Horse decided to learn about their culture, language, and religion, which was the only way for him to be accepted and respected in that kind of community. Learning their language was a quest for his freedom. Horse is accepted into the community but not respected as he should. He tries to bond with the community by learning how to shoot with bow and arrow but still fail to find that respect. Marriage was the only option for Horse to be accepted fully into the community. This could be achieved by presenting Horse as a gift to the woman (Johnson, 154). Horse, who was in love with Pretty Calf, a daughter to Yellow Robe, decided to find a way to marry her. One day he killed an Indian from a hostile tribe and took their horses. He presented the horses as a gift to Pretty Calf and became her husband. His marriage dramatically changes his status, and he became respected by both the community and Old Greasy. His wife teaches him their tribal customs, particularly marriage customs.  Horse learns that Yellow Robe had two wives, but one was taken away by another Indian. Their traditions allowed that, and one had no right to fight back or take her home with force or show any sign of being hurt. He also learns that what happened made the community respect Yellow Robe in the camp and was honoured to wear a bearskin belt, which meant that he would lead every battle and never step back. Pretty Calf and her mother are sure that Yellow Robe will die in combat. Horse continues to dream about his return home and the stories he will tell of his time in the west. His wife, who was pregnant, gave birth to a stillborn, and in the process, they both died. Yellow Robe made many successful raids, but he is killed, “…He captured horses in an enemy camp, led two successful raids, counted the first coup, and snatched a gun from the hand of an enemy tribesman” (John 45) the people mourn his death extremely and violently. Horse discovers that the missing fingers in Greasy hand and what they symbolize, as she cuts off her fourth finger when Yellow Robe dies. Horse recalls what his late wife told him that when a wife dies, her husband has no obligation to her family and can choose to leave. “…She invited him by calling him Son, and he accepted by answering Mother” (Longdon 196). Greasy persuaded Horse to stay, which Horse did for three years until when she died.  Horse went back to Boston and never told about his stories that he was dreaming of sharing while in the west, he only spoke about how he got to be called Horse. The overall meaning of freedom is just an illusion to Horse since he wanted to be treated as equal even though his family is wealthy (Longdon 185). His quest in the west made him realize that you can never know what is happening behind closed doors. His captivity made him understand his surroundings and how some people like Pretty Calf wished to be free from their customs. Horse comes to terms that freedom comes from within and better appreciate what you have than to want for what you do not know.

Works Cited

Johnson, Dorothy M., and Herb Gott. A man called Horse. Ballantine Books, (1953): 136-164.

Horse, A. Man Called. “Screenplay by Jack DeWitt.” Dir. Elliot Silverstein. Perf. Richard Harris, Judith Anderson. Fox (1970):62

Langdon, Susan. “The return of the horse-leader.” American journal of archaeology (1989): 185-201.

Caps, John. “The Return of a Man Called Horse.” Film Comment 39.6 (2003): 45.