Talking to the Moon by John Joseph Matthews (review)

Reviews 179 bal, his use of the European past, and finally his turn to Active metaphysics for The Mysterious Stranger. The protagonist in many novels is “empowered” at the expense of social reality; when the Not-Me limited the Me for Twain his solution was to create a “safe” reality free of mundane restrictions. Even the self-damned Huckleberry Finn gives in to the high jinks of Tom Sawyer rather than follow through on his own convictions in the problematic ending to his book. Mark Twain and the Limits of Power succeeds in illuminating Twain’s career and in giving readers fresh perceptions of key elements in some of the novels. The reader may wince occasionally at Johnson’sintellectual pyrotech­ nics — such as his fusion of ideas from Freud, Norman O. Brown, Whitman, Emerson, Plato, Spinoza, and Nietzsche in four short pages (26-29) — and his suggestion that Emerson’s solipsistic vision is a version of “primal narcissism,” but in fact the theory set forth makes for an exciting book. It is at once inter­ disciplinary and a fine example of intellectual history; it probes considerably deeper into Twain than the usual biographical approaches, and it brings Twain’sera a little closer to our own. Despite our twentieth-century cynicism, perhaps Emerson and Twain can still speak to those dreams we now rarely allow ourselves even to remember. JOSEPH J. WYDEVEN Bellevue College, Nebraska Talking to the Moon. By John Joseph Matthews. (Norman: Univ. of Okla­ homa Press, 1981. 244 pages, $12.95.) This is a timely book, beautifully written, and one that can be enjoyed just for its flowof beautiful English. It reminds one of the writings of Thoreau with its down-to-earth philosophy, keen and intimate observation of nature. But it is also full of native American comparisons, cowboy reflections and humor, and personal experiences. To top all this, it was written by a native American, an Osage Indian. With all the interest that has developed in recent years in Indian authors and Indian literature it is strange that the name of John Joseph Matthews has seldom, if ever, appeared on the list of popular favorites. And yet here was an outstanding native American, who lived fully in two worlds. He went far in the white man’sworld — a Rhodes Scholar, a pilot in Wrorld War I, a rancher, and a noted writer on subjects other than Indian. But he was thoroughly acquainted with the lore of his own people, served on their tribal council, and brings forth little-known historical details of their existence. He knew the old people and was respected by them, often being called upon to represent them and to defend them before Congress. Some of the experiences he records show deep insight into the ancient culture and an understanding of the problems of acculturation. There are of 180 Western American Literature course differences in the attitudes of members of White and Indian cultures; these are described with high humor, but deep understanding, without preju­ dice or bitterness over the conflict. The title, “Talking to the Moon,” is carried throughout the book with the chapters being named for the Osage moons or months. Although the Osage are a Siouan people their names for the moons, because of differences in geog­ raphy and climate, are quite different from those of other Siouan tribes, but the author’s use of these Osage terms is part of the fascination of the book and nicely ties in his account with the various characteristics of the seasons he is describing. His details of weather, storm, wind, temperature, rain, hail, sleet, snow, to say nothing of prairie fires and tornadoes, add greatly to his narrative and help a stranger to become acquainted with and to appreciate his beloved Oklahoma blackjacks. Matthews’ stories of many varieties of wild life prove him to have been a thorough student of nature. The many birds that lived in his “retreat” are most entertaining, and he even takes us to a prairie chicken dance. Some of his favorite local dwellers were mallard ducks. He said, “. . . nothing enjoys life more than a mallard. ... It isa shame he can’t sing.” Although he was forced to...