The Doll Symbol Analysis

During the long journey, Captain Kidd’s friend Doris gives Johanna a small doll. Later that night, Johanna runs away from the wagon to the river, where she sees a party of Kiowa riding on the other side. She calls out to them, clearly hoping to be rescued, but they can’t hear what she’s saying; instead, they seem to think she’s threatening them, and they fire warning shots at her across the water. Before she leaves, Johanna places the doll against a rock, facing the familiar territory she’s leaving behind.

In some ways, the doll emphasizes the cultural gap between Johanna and many Anglo-American children. What for most children is a simple toy is for Johanna much like the objects her tribe uses it religious rituals. She believes that the doll houses a spirit, and by leaving it on the rock she ensures that someone is “watching over” her old life. At the same time, Johanna uses the doll to act out and respond to the traumas she’s experienced, a coping mechanism common among children from many cultures. While Johanna’s complex past makes her seem fundamentally different from other girls in her society, the doll symbolizes the traits and anxieties she shares with all children.