Rhetorical Analysis of Jean Fisher’s “Unsettled Accounts of Indians and Others”

In her essay "Unsettled Accounts of Indians and Others," Jean Fisher looks closely at how colonial stories have portrayed, distorted, and misinterpreted Indigenous people in North America. Fisher contends that the prevalent depiction of "the Indian" is not an Indigenous construct, but rather a narrative fabricated by settlers to rationalize subsequent violence, land appropriation, and subjugation. Her essay is a mix of history lesson, cultural criticism, and a challenge to pay attention to who gets to tell tales about what it means to be Indigenous. Fisher utilizes examples from the past and from modern Indigenous artists to highlight how these misconceptions still affect how people see Indigenous people. She also shows how Indigenous artists fight back against these beliefs.

Fisher starts the essay with a quote from Roland Barthes, who claims that myth changes reality and makes history look natural. This sets up Fisher's major point: the "Indian" that most people conceive of is essentially a myth made up by white invaders, not a real representation of Indigenous civilizations. She talks about the "Red Body," a metaphor that shows how Indigenous people had lost their complexity and become symbols that fit the interests of colonizers. This is an excellent opening because it makes it clear straight away that the essay is about breaking down the stories the settlers told to justify their authority over other people.

It's interesting how Fisher's article is set up. She breaks it up into parts that talk about the Trickster persona, like "Coyote Introduces a Sobering Tale, Laughing." Fisher believes that Indigenous artists utilize comedy, chaos, surprise, and inversion to question assumptions. Using the Trickster as a framework is like what Fisher says they do. These parts of the essay make it feel more alive and more like Indigenous storytelling traditions than if it were written in a strict academic format.

One of the best things about Fisher's work is how she uses historical evidence. She demonstrates how early European authors—explorers, missionaries, and Enlightenment philosophers—endeavored to classify Indigenous populations in ways that rendered Europeans feeling more "civilized" and morally superior. Settlers made colonialism seem necessary and right by converting Indigenous people into either noble savages or dangerous heathens. Fisher analyzes these historical materials to show that representation is not innocent; it has always been linked to power.

Fisher also talks a lot about Indigenous artists who fight against and break down colonial prejudices. She talks about artists like Jimmie Durham, Edgar Heap of Birds, and Jolene Rickard who utilize irony, performance, renaming, and satire to show how silly settlers have tried to define Indigenous identity. Her example of Gerald Vizenor's movie Harold of Orange shows how Indigenous artists utilize comedy to turn the tables and expose what white institutions expect of them. These instances bolster Fisher's assertion that Indigenous artists are not passive; they actively reconstruct their identities and narratives.

Fisher's argument is good; however, there are a few holes in it. In some parts, it feels quite wide because she is trying to cover so much—history, theory, art, and politics. Sometimes, she talks about "Native Americans" as if they are one set of people, even if she is trying to break down preconceptions. Fisher also puts a lot of focus on representation, which might make her miss important facts like sovereignty, land rights, or continuing political fights. Her piece is clearly about cultural images, so she doesn't have to talk about everything. However, linking representation to real-life effects would make the argument even stronger.

In general, Fisher's essay is convincing because she explains how stereotypes were developed, how they worked, and how Indigenous people fought back. What I find interesting is how she doesn't see Indigenous identity as something that is set in stone. Instead, she talks about how creative, funny, and strong Indigenous people are. Her essay doesn't just look at history; it also urges readers to rethink the tales they have about Indigenous people and see how Indigenous artists are still working to change those stories. Even though the article was written in 1991, its point of view is still relevant today, especially as discussions regarding representation, appropriation, and Indigenous visibility are always changing. Fisher eventually reminds us that identity is not something that is forced on us from the outside. It is alive, changing, and in the hands of the individuals who live it.

Works Cited

Fisher, Jean. “Unsettled Accounts of Indians and Others.” The Myth of Primitivism, edited by Susan Hiller, Routledge, 1991. www.jeanfisher.com/unsettled-accounts-of-indians-and-others/. Accessed 22 December 2024.