“A Man Called Horse” is one of those stories with little wording, but with a deep moral meaning. The author is not rich on describing inner world of the heroes, we can judge of it only by outer circumstances and of the way they behave.
A rich white man is not satisfied with his life. He seems to have everything one would need: money, recognition, lovely home – all the conveniences an educated person requires. But he feels incomplete, and leaves his secure life in Boston to search equal of his in the West, which at those times has nit been conquered yet, and was really dangerous.
There nothing good happens to him – he is captured by Indians, and enslaved in their camp. His position has been lowered to the level on an animal.
But he does not rebel, and thus step by step achieved recognition and respect of Crows tribe. He got married and lived there few years.
When dreaming of his warm home in Boston he could think only of what he would tell people there about his adventures, he dreamed what stories of these people’s life he can recall. We can see an inner struggle within him, but he himself does not notice it.
With position in the Crows society he acquired a lot of opportunities to leave, but he does not. Every time there was a reason for him to stay: winter was close, he had no weapon for this journey, or a good horse, or enough hunting abilities, and finally his wife got pregnant. He comforted himself that he would tell those stories some day at any rate.
He finally achieved identity, and was called Horse. This name, as any other Indian name, reflected the traits of a person who carries it. So, the white man could be characterized as a docile and obedient person.
Getting used to the life of Indians Horse had understood a lot. He went to search for his equals, but what has happens was that he had found his identity. It is feelings that make all the people equal. These wild people taught him that one should care of those he loves and of those who love him. It is the way it should be.
Never again he considered himself unequal, and never after he wanted to boast of what he had experienced.
