“I was as free as the wind that blew my hair, and no less spirited than a bounding deer” (“Mother”)
As a seven year old, Zitkala-Sa was free from anxiety; hence, she was not restrained from living her life freely like the wind. Furthermore, the metaphor of a ‘bounding deer’ depicts her as an inhibited girl traversing her environments enthusiastically.
“Surplus Spirits”
The "surplus spirit" is a metaphor for a formidable craving to explore the outdoors. Zitkala-Sa recalls, “Always after these confining lessons I was wild with surplus spirits, and found joyous relief in running loose in the open again.” The lessons for making artworks were restraining; the confinement activates a longing to spontaneously roam in the hills.
“Drop by drop we gathered this nature's rock-candy, until each of us could boast of a lump the size of a small bird's egg” (“The Beadwork”)
The assemblage of natural candy from the rocks was imperative in Zitkala-Sa’s play activities. The “ size of a small bird’s egg” was the model benchmark for the candy to be amassed by each of her playmates.
