Running Away from the Wind

Between Winter in the Blood and "Wounded Chevy at Wounded Knee," one idea that differs between the two is the idea of what success is on a reservation.

The main Native character in "Wounded Chevy at Wounded Knee," Mark, believes that success on the reservation is simply escaping from it. "He speaks about getting out of here, going to Rapid City and making a life. He is sick of having nothing to do." (69)

The narrator's grandfather in Winter in the Blood, Yellow Calf, has a completely different, more appealing idea of success. He believes that to succeed on the reservation, you cannot run away, and the best thing one can do is survive. Since when does running away make one feel success? "Sometimes it seems that one has to lean into the wind to stand straight." (69) His idea of 'standing straight in the wind' represents the idea of standing up for yourself, but it comes with making yourself visible. Those who are too meek to make themselves visible will not be able to succeed in the reservation. Yellow Calf leaned into the wind when he left the Blackfeet tribe to help the narrator's grandfather. He lived a fulfilling life, as opposed to Mark from "Wounded Chevy," who does not lean into the wind, but only dreams of running away.

Mark's idea of success is only short-term financial success, and not long-term success of the conscience. Yellow Calf's conscience is clear, because he stood up for his personal sense of righteousness, and succeeded when he leaned into the wind and took the challenge. The two differing ideas of success from Winter in the Blood and "Wounded Chevy" are clear, and the escapist ideas of Mark seem to lack idealistic appeal.