Fools Crow by James Welch is a novel based on the lives of the Blackfeet people. The book shows how the lives of these people are changing as a result of invasion by white society. Specifically, the novel shows the experiences of Blackfeet people as they struggle to maintain their traditional way of life following the attack by white Americans.
White Man’s Dog is the main character who is trying to protect his tribe from the Crows and the Napikwans, the Americans. He becomes respected when he kills the Crow’s chief and earns the title of Fools Crow. He becomes a warrior and a medicine man of his tribe. Fools Crow and his tribe consider either defending the legacy of their culture or adjusting to white settlers’ values.
The book highlights the societal changes of Blackfeet people in the wake of the invasion by white people. The changes are taking place amid hardships as well as diseases that Pikunis experience. The author encourages interest and reading about tribal culture, historical events, and values. The community’s fortune and status are improved by an individual’s pursuit of a useful life. Fools Crow's interest in family, wealth, and status corresponds to his community’s need for accomplished men. This is evident in members of the community’s success as husbands, hunters, and warriors.
Fool Crow’s interest in horse riding leads him to the warrior’s path. He knows that his choices and values correspond with the needs and motivations of Blackfeet People in general. The author was trying to show the capacity of an individual to pursue survival as an expression of both self and communal.
