Question

Momaday chose a travel narrative for the introduction to The Way to Rainy Mountain. Why did he choose the journey motif to structure this exploration of his cultural past? What roles do place and landscape play in Momaday’s physical and metaphorical journeys?

Answer 1

Momaday is a native American. His forefathers migrated from the native Canadian Prairies to the Rocky mountains of Colorado. He is a Kiowa tribe and his original hereditary culture is hunting in the hilly regions. Therefore in his narrative we find the journey to the hilly areas where he was nourished. In his writing he proudly depicts his original culture and profession.

Through the wings of art he tries to depict his traditional past and native culture. His writing says the original habit of the native American. In the midst of the modern advanced literary sphere he tries to establish his own culture and tradition and he succeeded in doing so.