You’re Not the Indian I Had in Mind”

Read “You’re Not the Indian I Had in Mind”, a chapter out of King’s book The Truth About Stories. In this chapter, King provides examples of how appearances and imagery tell a story that is often different from reality because appearances tell the story that the audience expects or accepts as the “norm”. He suggests that these images are “reminders of how hard it is to break free from the parochial and paradoxical considerations of identity and authenticity” (44). King also points out that “the real value of authenticity is in the rarity of a thing” (56).
 
Choose one of the two above quotes and interpret King’s intended meaning. Do you agree with his point of view? Explain.
Consider the importance of appearances and imagery in today’s world. Think about social media sites such as Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok. How might King react to some of the more popular or viral posts seen on these sites? Are these posts authentic? What stories are being told on these sites? What expectations of viewers are being met on these sites? Are these results “expected”? Provide examples from the text that support your response.
Refer to King’s turtle example and apply it to King’s own accounts of his Native American background and images captured by Throssel and Owens. What implicit biases are being expressed here? How do stereotypes prevent authenticity in these stories?