While the Locust Slept: A Memoir Literary Analysis Essay Example

Peter Razor is the author of the book, While the Locust Slept: A Memoir. Razor is a Native American writer, who was born in St. Paul Minnesota. Razor studied electricity and later became an electronic technician. He little to no writing experience however, with encouragement from his family, Razor wrote a book that told the story of his past. While the Locust Slept: A Memoir was Razor’s first book. Growing up, Razor was considered a ward of the state of Minnesota. He lived in a state orphanage majority of his childhood. Razor recalled his time at orphanage where he was abused by the workers, who thought very little of him. In 1944, as a teenager, Razor was taken out of the orphanage and was told to live with the Schauls. However, his time with the Schauls was not any better. Razor did find enjoyment while in school. Razor attended school throughout his childhood and exceled in many classes. He scored high in science, art, and mechanical intricacies. After reading the book, it is apparent that the title of the book is symbolic. Razor was comparing himself to a locust. Razor is comparing years of neglect and abuse that he endured to darkness. However, once the darkness is over, he will be able to be free. This relates to the subject matter of the book which is the racism and discrimination that many native American children had to through while in state orphanages and family placements. 

The thesis of While the Locust Slept is to show and give evidence to how the state-run system failed. The system failed Native American children which caused trauma that those children continued to remember for the rest of their lives. 

The subject of the book is to show the racism and discrimination that Native American children endured while in state-run orphanages and family placements which resulted in abuse and neglect. Throughout that book, the author tells many stories that provide evidence to validate the subject of the book. One example of racism and discrimination includes when Razor was talking to a worker about his new placement. The worker stated, “We specifically discussed your Indian heritage, and they say that’s no problem” (While the Locust Slept, 14). This implies that Razor’s heritage has been and problem before and that it is still a problem because it must be addressed before he gets placed with a family. Another example of racism from the book involves a worker at the state orphanage. The worker screamed, “Deceitful Injun!” After screaming this to Razor, the worker then struck him in the waist with a broom (While the Locust Slept, 50). Language and violence such as this is evidence of the abuse that occurred at the state orphanage. The book is written in a way that helps provide understanding of the subject in a balanced and easy to read way. The author does this by changing between stories of being in the state orphanage and living with the Schauls. By providing the stories of what happened in the orphanage, it gives the reader a better understanding of why Razor acts or responds certain ways while living with the Schauls. Razor writes his book in a chronological approach to help get a better understanding of the subject matter. He writes the stories of his life in the order that they happened which shows the racism and discrimination he delt with throughout his life. As he changes between stories from the state orphanage and stories from living with the Schauls, he tells both in chronological order. 

The author’s goal is to offer a completely new perspective on what happened in state orphanages and placements of native American children. Razor’s stories provide details and evidence that help the reader get a better understanding of how horrible and traumatic being a native American child while living in the state orphanages and different placements was. One example from the book that was evidence to the trauma that Razor delt with happened while he was living with the Klugs. Razor was placed with a new family after the abuse he endured with the Schauls. Razor was used to getting verbally and physically abused after John Schaul came back from the bars. Therefore, when he heard Lee Klug was coming home from a bar for dinner, Razor became terrified. Razor assumed he was going to be abused once again. When Lee got home and approach Razor, Razor flinched out of fear and wet his pants (While the Locust Slept, 185). Stories and details such as this help give the reader a new perspective on the abuse and trauma native America children delt with.