The beginning of Black Elk Speaks

John G. Neihardt wrote Black Elk Speaks to share the story of Black Elk, a member of the Lakota tribe he met on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.  Neihardt's source for the work is interviews with Black Elk himself, the translation of Black Elk's son Benjamin, and the shorthand recording of Neihardt's daughter Enid.  The narrative is written in first person, as if Black Elk himself is speaking to the reader, and it is clear that Neihardt took some liberties with the writing (but that is another matter entirely).

Within the first portion of the work, it is clear that Black Elk's vision is the heart of the work.  Black Elk's experience includes a tale full of imagery of his forefathers, setting Black Elk apart as a leader of his people.  Because Black Elk lived through the procession of westward expanded, he experienced the painful process of being expanded upon.  As a result, we as readers experience the tragic loss of the Lakota people through the lens of Black Elk and his fantastic vision. 

From my experience thus far, it has been difficult to not be bogged down by the details and technicalities of the work.  In response, I plan to focus primarily on Black Elk's vision and its contrast to historical reality.