Close Reading- Jay Ousley
The passage I chose is from the chapter of Braiding Sweetgrass titled “the grammar of animacy” and it is located on pages 55 and 56. It begins with “this is the grammar of animacy” and ends with “our kinship with all of the animated world.” This passage specifically stuck out to me because of what languages mean to me in general. Languages are beautiful forms, that represent a culture and show the beauty of it. The pronunciations are distinct to each language, they may sound similar to one another, but they have their own meanings when being used in the context of the language being spoken. This passage specifically emphasizes what Potawatomi language means and who gets to be given the gift of the “grammar of animacy,” who or what is considered living and who or what is considered as merely existing. Potawatomi language extends the grammar of animacy beyond, what the English language does. The quote “I am discovering that the Potawatomi understanding of what it means to be animate diverges from the list of attributes of living beings we all learned in biology 101.” illustrates this passage’s connection to the text as a whole. This text is about the difference between what is accepted as “standard” knowledge and information and what is indigenous knowledge and information. This text attempts to bridge the gaps between the two and bring to light what indigenous knowledge is and share it with the world as Kimmerer reconnects herself with her culture. Aspects of this passage that I noticed the most were Kimmerer’s usage of italics, her usage of the second person point of view when writing, and there were a few specific lines that jumped out at me as I continued to read the passage.
Kimmerer’s usage of italics assists in her highlighting specific words that she wants the audience to focus on. Not only does she emphasize some of the words written in the Potawatomi language as a way to differentiate them from the English on the page, but she also uses italics to emphasize words such as “it” “he” or “she.” the emphasis of “it” specifically was the most interesting to me because it once again highlights to the reader, what Kimmerer is attempting to emphasize. She, as the writer wants you to be jarred by that word. To refer to a family member as “it” takes away from that person, and Kimmerer’s choice of specifically highlighting that word is to illustrate the difference of Potawatomi culture. “It robs a person of selfhood and kinship, reducing a person to a mere thing. So it is that in Potawatomi and most other indigenous languages, we use the same words to address the living world as we use for our family. Because they are our family.” Kimmerer uses the term it and explains its meaning in the English language to present and express the divide that English speakers have with the world around them. By presenting this information she is attempting to show the audience their disconnect from the land around them, in Potawatomi culture the land is like family. That is why the term it is not offensive, neither to the land nor to the people. Yet the English language presents a hierarchy, one that divides man and land.
Kimmerer’s usage of the second person point of view for her writing style seeks to connect those who speak Potawatomi and those who speak English. This begins with “we might snicker at such a mistake,” connecting herself to those who grew up speaking English. Showing that she also found the Potawatomi language to be silly and absurd from her viewpoint. But as she grew to learn the language more and understand it, she grew to understand its meaning. She later uses the term “we” and “our” to represent her connection to the Potawatomi language as well. She states “we use the same words to address the living world as we use for our family” as well as “beings that are imbued with spirit, our sacred medicines, our songs, drums, and even stories, are all animate.” showing her newfound connection to her culture. By using the terms such as “we” and “our” she connects herself to English-speaking culture while also showing her newfound stronger connection to Potawatomi culture. This part of the passage once again emphasizes the disconnect between “standard” and indigenous knowledge and how Kimmerer bridges the gap for the audience.
Lastly, through specific lines used, such as “it robs a person of selfhood,” “Because they are our family,” and “to speak of those possessed with life and spirit” Kimmerer works to once again illustrate the connection between the two languages and implores the reader to understand the importance of indigenous knowledge. These lines invoke an emotional response from the reader. The specific choice of works such as robs and selfhood, family, and possed with life and spirit, these terms create a visual in the mind of the reader. They create a sense of imagery of how the reader is to interpret the language. Using “it” to refer to a person takes a way that person’s life and being is the feelings and emotions that the first line implies. The second line then addresses why it creates that feeling, if the land is family then it too should not have its life taken and so easily cast aside. And the last line emphasizes the previous point, the land has life, just as humans do. To pretend it doesn’t is to rob it of its life and nature. These lines all work together to invoke feelings that cause the reader to think of their own relationship with nature, Kimmerer works to illustrate the indigenous connection to nature and the western disconnect from it.
This passage from Braiding Sweetgrass stood out to me due to its connection to the language. I have always been drawn to languages, they represent a culture and feel as though they exist in this everlasting space and time. New ones can be born and old ones can die, but they connect people on a level, that creates a sense of community when at times there feels like none. Kimmerer’s passage implores a new meaning to languages, in my opinion, tying in the ideas we’ve talked about all semester and connecting them to the importance of languages, that I feel. She emphasizes the disconnect that people have from the land they inhabit by explaining how the Potawatomi language gives the land life. The language gives the land the same respect that it gives a person. Kimmerer writes this passage to not only address the western disconnect from the land but also to present a bridging of the gap between English speakers and those who speak indigenous languages. She implores an understanding of the audience that I found extremely interesting and this passage specifically, took hold of me and would not let go until I wrote on it.
