Deborah Chiurato

Creating the White Indian: Stereotypes in the Representation of Native Americans Deborah Chiurato

The encounter of two different ethnic groups always leads to a change for both of them. This is what happened when Native Americans met Euro-Americans. While positive cultural fusions arised, the refusal of differences increased the repulsion towards "the other" and created stereotypes. White people's non-acceptance of Native Americans' cultural identity led to the creation of the "White Indian", a new figure built on a simultaneous idealization and fear of the other. But can ethnic boundaries really be so deep? Forrest Carter's "The Education of Little Tree" casts a shadow on the existence of real differences among ethnic groups. In both cultural and literary fields, the search for authenticity unites and divides public opinion once more.