The Education of" Little Tree" by Forrest Carter. Discussing diversity issues in the book, The Education of Little Tree.

Abstract

Little Tree was an orphaned Indian boy who was taken in by his grandparents. As the book's title suggests, Little Tree was educated and learned many things from his "granpa" and "granma." It was during the stressful era of the Great Depression, the stock market crash, the Indian Reorganization Act, prohibition, and continuing oppression of the Native Americans, that several diversity issues became apparent to Little Tree. In this paper, I will expound upon some of the diversity issues that Little Tree encountered.

Title: Exploring Diversity Issues Encountered by Little Tree in his Quest for Knowledge.

In the book, The Education of Little Tree, grandparents of a five-year-old, Native-American boy informally adopted their grandson after his parents passed away in 1930. They affectionately called him Little Tree. He was a very naïve and impressionable, little boy who treasured the many years he lived with his grandparents in the mountains.

English: Collage of Cherokee men and women from pu...

Tree of Education

Little Yosemite Valley

While living in the mountains, Little Tree was constantly learning; he learned "the way" of the Cherokee, the way of the mountains, the way of the "guvmint", the way of the politician, the way of the Christians, and most importantly the way of life. The young boy also learned the meaning of the passing song and before leaving the mountains he was forced to revisit the hard lesson of mortality: this time as it related to age.

Little Tree received much of his home-school education from his granma, granpa and a family friend, Mr. Wine. His granma would read to him daily and she required him to learn five words a week from the dictionary. She also suggested that Little Tree practiced the words in daily conversations during the week. His granpa, in an attempt to empower Little Tree and teach him a trade, also taught him to count...