The Middle Five · Chapters

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Chapter companions for The Middle Five by Francis La Flesche.

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Chapter 1
Dedication
The book is dedicated to the universal boy, a figure representing all boys and their shared experiences.
Chapter 2
The Middle Five
The chapter introduces the experiences of Indian boys at a mission school, focusing on their daily lives, friendships, and the blending of cultural identities as they navigate education and discipline.
Chapter 3
I: The Mission
The narrator recounts his first day at the Presbyterian Mission boarding school for Omaha children, describing the overwhelming experience of entering a strange world of stone buildings, bells, and unfamiliar customs. He is comforted by an older boy named Brush, who becomes his friend and protector. The chapter explores the social dynamics among the boys, where fighting is necessary to earn respect, and introduces the gang of the 'Big Seven' that Brush aspires to join. The narrator learns to stand up for himself through a fight, gaining a measure of acceptance.
Chapter 4
II: Brush
Brush wins a horse race for the narrator's father, earning his respect. Later, a mother brings her two sons to the mission school, and Brush and Frank help them settle in. The chapter also includes a visit to the narrator's home, where they witness white boys stealing pemmican from a grave, leading to a discussion about mourning customs.
Chapter 5
Edwin
Edwin, a young Omaha boy, is brought to the mission school by his father. He is renamed Edwin M. Stanton, given new clothes, and struggles to adapt to the school's customs, particularly during prayer, which he compares to hiding in the grass. The chapter also includes a flashback to Edwin's parents discussing his education and his reluctant departure from home.

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Dedication

The Middle Five

I: The Mission

II: Brush

Edwin