Rayona example essay topic

Rayona's Ride by Michael Dorris is short story about a young women's search for her identity and a sense of belonging. The main character of this short story, Rayona a young woman of Native and African American descent has faced many hardships and obstacles in life due to her mixed heritage and felt that she would never belong anywhere. Rayona's idea of finding where she stood in the world was to find her mother. She felt that once she found her then she would find a place where she belonged.

The Indian Rodeo in Havre was the turning point for some of the changes in her life. Her main reason for going to the rodeo was to find a connection to her mother. But once at the rodeo, Rayona was reacquainted with people from the past some of which she wished to never meet again. One of these individual's was her cousin Foxy. Rayona remembered Foxy as a sly nasty person who always gave her grief. Foxy was scheduled to ride in the rodeo but was too inebriated to ride, so he "asked" Rayona to ride for him.

Although Rayona had never ridden a bronc and had no idea of what she was doing, but accepted his offer. One of the reasons that she chose to ride for Foxy was that she really didn't have a choice, the other was the sense of a challenge and opportunity for her to prove something to herself and other people. "Annabelle will be impressed if I say yes. I'll be different in her eyes, dumb maybe, but worth taking. Yes I say".

The first few moments on the horse Rayona probably thought now or never. It almost seemed that she was doing this for herself rather than as a favor for Foxy, it was most evident after she was thrown off the bronc. She knew that there was no way that she was going to win, but rather than leave the ring beaten and defeated she stood up dusted off, and got right back on. Unlike many of the other times in her life where she would just give up or walk away, she persevered and kept trying until she reached her own personal goal. When Rayona eventually did stop and walk away it was not in defeat but in accomplishment. Rayona's ride helped her to discover who she is and also opened her eyes to her true self, a self-awakening.

In addition, it also proved to other people in her life that she was strong and that she wasn't going to let them take advantage of her any longer. In her search to belong and to find her place in the world Ramona had to face many obstacles and barriers, but through determination, will power and drive, she found her own true meaning for living, and identity. The obstacles and barriers that she faced actually made her stronger and helped her accomplished her goals..