“And There Were No People. Only the Indians Lived There": Stereotypes of Native Americans in Mid-Twentieth-Century Literature

Abstract

This study explores the interactions between Native Americans and white settlers in midtwentieth-century frontier literature through the lens of property theory. From the earliest European contact with the New World, explorers, colonists, and later settlers, preempted and occupied lands traditionally held by Native American Tribes and Nations. Conflicts often arose due to fundamentally different perspectives on land ownership, misunderstandings about property rights, and the squatting of white settlers on lands designated by the United States government for Native Americans. The US government’s Native American public policy philosophy has vacillated between attempted assimilation and the promotion of self-governance for Tribes and Nations, including the encouragement, or at least toleration, of preservation of their culture, lifeways, and government.

This dissertation focuses on novels set in the second half of the nineteenth century in the Midwestern US, written by five authors who drew on personal or family experiences. These works have sparked debate over their portrayal of Native Americans, particularly regarding stereotypes and racism, and whether they are suitable for children. I argue that, when considered within the appropriate historical context, these novels remain pertinent for modern audiences, including young ones, and can offer meaningful insights into the experiences of Native Americans and settlers on the western frontier in the US.