home > TRiO and USP Programs > McNair > symposium > 2003-2004 presentations > Angela Morrill

Angela Morrill
Comparative Literature

Katya Hokanson, Mentor

Dismissing Binaries: Hybridity in Zitkala-Sa’s Autobiographical Essays

Zitkala-Sa’s writing has been anthologized and her books remain in print but she has not been a popular subject for literary study. Writers describe her as an alienated figure between two cultures; too educated for her Indian family and not white enough for Western society. Using the work of post-colonialist scholar Homi Bhabha, I will examine Zitkala-Sa’s essays and her unique solution to “solving the problem of my inner self.” By applying his theories of post-colonialism, especially the concept of hybridity, it is possible to gain a new understanding that challenges the assumption that any culture is essential or original.