Some actions can be justified
In the second chapter, the narrator notes that in the 19th century, it was common for the Indian tribes that lived in the south part of the country to raid the Mexican villages near the border. The reason why the Indian tribes did that was because the Mexicans were known for raiding the Indian villages and taking the children they found and making them slaves. While both practices were cruel, the narrator argues that in this case, the Indian’s actions were justified. The idea that some acts of violence can be justified is a common motif in the novel and it appears in other chapters as well, becoming a common motif.
Always cheating
Another common motif in the book is the idea that the foreign settlers tricked the Indians into giving them their lands by promising them gifts and by giving them "lands’’ in their own countries. This tactic was still used even in the 19th century when the author notes that the Americans continued to behave in an unfair manner, promising the Indians various gifts and then refusing to keep their promises.
The whole tribe has to suffer
Another common motif in the novel is the idea that the US officials made a habit out of punishing a whole tribe for the actions of a single person. For example, when Little Cow heard that some men from his tribe murdered a white man, he knew that the whole tribe will be held responsible for the crime. This proves that such a practice was normal in the 19th century.
Not meant for living
Another common motif in the novel is the idea that when the Americans resettled the Indians, they sent them to harsh lands, where they had no access to clean water or soil that could produce food. Instead, the Indians were forced to live in dire conditions and to struggle to survive day by day.
Symbol of cooperation
In the fourth chapter, it is presented a scene during the Civil War when a leader named Lean Bear was killed when he was seen by a group of soldiers. Lean Bear showed the soldiers a medal he received from Abraham Lincoln, a symbol of his cooperation with the government, but that did not matter for the soldiers. Instead, they shot him in cold blood, disregarding his cooperation with the system they represented.
