Dances With Wolves by Michael Blake

 

Dances With Wolves

Micheal Blake

Published 1988

American Novel

⭐⭐⭐ 

Dances With Wolves could be considered an adult "coming-of-age" story. 

The main character, Lieutenant John Dunbar, had been transferred out West to the U.S. Army's most remote post, which had been deserted during the Civil War. He spent weeks in solitude, expecting the army to send more soldiers and supplies. While waiting, he began to see the world with different eyes. 

"Loo Ten Nant" John Dunbar on the prairie

For one, he fell in love with the prairie. 

Lieutenant Dunbar had fallen in love. He had fallen in love with this wild, beautiful country and everything it contained. It was the kind of love people dream of having with other people: selfless and free of doubt, reverent and everlasting. His spirit had received a promotion and his heart was jumping. 

His only kin were a trusted army horse, Cisco, and a curious, friendly wolf, which Dunbar named Two Socks; that is, until one day he was visited by a few of his nearest neighbors belonging to a Comanche tribe. Numerous failed attempts to steal Cisco prompted Dunbar to make an initial visit to their village, and in doing so, he met a white woman who lived with the Comanches. She eventually became the liaison between Dunbar and the tribal leaders.  

The story of Dunbar's transformation was told through his narrations and journal writings. Relationships developed between Dunbar and the Comanches, as well as with the white woman, Stands With a Fist. Over time, both parties learned the other's language and how to better communicate. Dunbar introduced his neighbors to American inventions and the tribe invited Dunbar on a buffalo hunt. They trusted him enough to build him his own dwelling within the village to accommodate him during his visits and also asked him to help defend the woman and children, which was a great honor, while the warriors were away on a war party with their enemies, the Pawnee. 

Wind in His Hair and Kicking Bird trying to communicate with Dunbar

The more time Dunbar spent with his neighbors, the more he resembled them, in dress, behavior, and ideas. Whenever he returned to the fort for a few days, the loneliness was too much to bear and he had to return to the village. 

Eventually, it was evident that the army post had been completely abandoned and forgotten, prompting Dunbar to officially meld himself into the community of Comanche family he had naturally become a part of. After all, he and the white woman were ultimately married. (You saw that coming.)

As time went on, Dunbar transformed into Dances With Wolves

Unfortunately, the story regressed drastically when Dunbar returned to the soldier fort one final time to retrieve the only piece of evidence of his existence: his journal. If you are not familiar with the story, I won't say anymore. 

The good news is that it does not end there for Dunbar, who then went by his Comanche name Dances With Wolves; however, it was not a hopeful future for the native people in general. Not long after the Civil War ended, the United States used its military to removed the majority of remaining native tribes onto reservations in the American West and Southwest. 

About the book vs. the movie

If you do not know already, Dances With Wolves was made into a movie in the early 90s. The author, Michael Blake, had written a screenplay for a movie that Kevin Costner was starring in, and when Costner read Blake's book, Dances With Wolves, he asked him to write a film adaptation. Then Costner directed the film version, and it won countless awards, including best picture, director, screenplay, and actor. 

The movie was and is epic. It is far better than the book, in my opinion. I am assuming either Blake or Costner added humor to several characters and scenes that the book did not. There were many chapters from the book that were left out. You could say the film deviated occasionally from the book, and I am soooo thankful. 

Plus, the music score, by John Barry, is also glorious in its own right. If the wide rolling prairie could have a soundtrack, this is what it would sound like: romantic and grandiose.

Should you read this book?

The book has good parts, and technically, the movie follows most of the plot from the book. It also fills in some spots that the movie does not have time to tell. But over all, if you are curious, definitely see the movie. It is a great story and well done for the big screen.