Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in House Made of Dawn, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Home, Belonging, and Identity
Nature
Religion, Ceremony, and Tradition
Storytelling
Connection vs. Isolation
Summary
Analysis
The year is 1945 in the village of Walatowa in Cañon de San Diego (Canyon of Saint James), which runs through a valley of hills and cultivated fields. In the summer, the townsmen work all day in the fields, and on full moons they work all night as well. They consider especially fruitful harvests to be a gift from God.
As a story about Native American identity, the novel pays particular attention to ideas of ancestral homeland. Establishing the landscape and traditions of Walatowa before introducing any characters or plot elements of this section of the book emphasizes how the story and its characters will be shaped by their native lands.
Themes
An old man, Francisco, drives a team of roan mares with a wagon by a river bend. He finds a dead sparrow hanging from a reed, and he is disappointed that he didn’t encounter a bird with more beautiful feathers. He cuts the bird from the reed, letting it fall into the river, then sets a snare using the reed. He continues on with the horses, singing a traditional Pueblo song as he brings them onto the road to San Ysidro.
Francisco lives in harmony with the land. He looks for beauty in plants and wildlife while also making practical use of them. He is also in touch with the traditions of his people, which he casually honors with a song as he walks.
Themes
On the road, Francisco recalls participating in a race meant to ensure good hunting and harvests. He defeated the best runner in the race by striking him in the face, but even after ensuring his victory he continued running at full speed just for the sake of running. He was an impressively successful hunter that year.
For Francisco, racing is and was a way to connect with his own body and the traditions of his people. His belief that the race helped his hunting speaks to Francisco’s faith in a higher power, but his underhanded method of winning the race reveals that Francisco can be sly and resourceful.
Themes
Francisco stops at a bus junction. He anxiously smooths his new shirt and checks the wagon and horses to make sure “everything [is] in order.” The bus arrives, and Abel, Francisco’s grandson, stumbles out. Abel is drunk. He falls against Francisco, hurting the old man’s bad leg, and doesn’t seem to recognize his grandfather. Francisco almost cries, but instead he laughs and turns away from the bus. He helps Abel lie down in the wagon, and then Francisco starts walking back to bring his grandson home.
Francisco’s anxiety upon greeting Abel indicates the distance that seems to have developed between the two, and his desire to ensure that “everything is in order” suggests Francisco cares for his grandson and wants to rebuild their relationship. Abel, on the other hand, is completely unprepared for this reunion, demonstrating his unstable mental health. Though Francisco is saddened and perhaps hurt by Abel’s condition, he immediately assumes the role of caregiver for his grandson.
Themes
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