Chee's Daughter

1596 Words7 Pages
Chee’s Daughter The story Chee’s Daughter by Juanita Platero and Sivowin Miller is about a young Navajo Indian girl who is taken from her home by her deceased mother’s parents. In keeping with tradition, when the mother passes away, the children are to be cared for by the mother’s parents. The story is about two relatives who have opposing views on life. The relatives are two men, Chee and Old Man Fat, who not only despise one another but the other’s way of living as well. The tale involves their different environments which reflect conflicting personalities, values and survival. Chee and Old Man Fat may not see eye to eye in the respect of tradition, morals, their connection to their, and the care for the Little One, but they are still similar in the fact that they are both Navajo, they are both fathers who has lost their daughter, and they both have so much pride that they are too stubborn to bow out. Both men represent their connection through the child’s mother. Chee was her husband and Old Man Fat was her father. They are both grieving for their loss. The two men have similar losses in that Old Man Fat lost his daughter to death, and Chee lost his daughter to Old Man Fat due to the death of his wife. Another similarity that they both posses is stubbornness. Old Man Fat refuses to give up Little One to Chee due to greed because he feels that in keeping her to live with him it will further benefit his profits. Chee on the other hand does not want to accept the Navajo custom of giving up his daughter to the parent’s of the mother. “Custom! When did my wife’s parents begin to think about custom? Why, the hogan where they live doesn’t even face the East!” Chee feels that his wife’s parents don’t live the traditional life of a Navajo; so why are they suddenly wanting to abide by the traditions? Chee believes that he would be a
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