What would it be like to be forced to leave your home and the land your family has resided on for generations? To endure a harsh journey where some of your family and friends died, in order to make a new home in a strange land? Thousands of Native Americans found the answers to these questions during the Trail of Tears in the 1830’s. This event is rendered by Robert Lindneux in his painting Trail of Tears, which was painted in 1942. There are several rhetoric appeals to this image, but the one that will be discussed is pathos and how it applies to this image.
The Cherokee Trail of Tears occurred in 1838 as part of the enforcement of the Treaty of New Echota by President Martin Van Buren. This treaty, which was signed in December of 1835, stated that the Cherokees were going to lose their land and should be moved west in order to keep the Cherokee Nation intact. This treaty was signed in accordance with the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which was sanctioned by President Andrew Jackson. Though President Jackson signed the Act in 1830, it was proposed by President Thomas Jefferson. The Indian Removal Act relocated the “Five Civilized Tribes” (Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee or Creek, and Seminole Nations) to areas like Oklahoma so that their original lands, like Georgia, could be seized by the Government. The “Five Civilized Tribes” were forced to sign the treaty so that the government could relocate them. The Choctaw Nation traded 10.3 million acres east of the Mississippi for 10.3 acres in Oklahoma and Arkansas. Interestingly enough they already owned this land according to previous treaties.
The Cherokee Trail of Tears occurred in 1838 as part of the enforcement of the Treaty of New Echota by President Martin Van Buren. This treaty, which was signed in December of 1835, stated that the Cherokees were going to lose their land and should be moved west in order to keep the Cherokee Nation intact. This treaty was signed in accordance with the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which was sanctioned by President Andrew Jackson. Though President Jackson signed the Act in 1830, it was proposed by President Thomas Jefferson. The Indian Removal Act relocated the “Five Civilized Tribes” (Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee or Creek, and Seminole Nations) to areas like Oklahoma so that their original lands, like Georgia, could be seized by the Government. The “Five Civilized Tribes” were forced to sign the treaty so that the government could relocate them. The Choctaw Nation traded 10.3 million acres east of the Mississippi for 10.3 acres in Oklahoma and Arkansas. Interestingly enough they already owned this land according to previous treaties.
The Trail of Tears often is associated with the Cherokees harsh journey from Georgia to Oklahoma in 1838, but the term originated with the relocation of the Choctaw Nation in 1831. During this journey all of the Nations had to deal with exposure to diseases, the elements, and starvation. Many of the Native Americans died due to these issues. Of the roughly 15,000 Cherokee that were relocated 4,000 died during the journey.
Narration is used in this portrait in order to tell a story of the emotions and veracity of the journey. Seeing a painting of the event makes it no longer seem like some event in the history books. It is easier to visualize and relate to. The sense of motion from the diagonal lines in the painting gives the viewer the sensation that these people in the picture are moving. Straight lines give the feeling that something is solid and unmoving. There are straight lines that make up the wagons and the bottom of the clouds. The straight line at the bottom of the clouds helps separate the clouds from the ground. The clouds have blurry straight lines coming down from them that represent rain. Most of the clouds are made up of curving lines that help represent size and movement. There is no significant source of light. The light is glimmering from around the clouds and some is shining through the clouds, but there is not a lot of light.
In the foreground there are two figures that are prominent. The first is an image of a Native American man dressed richly and riding a horse. He is sitting tall and confident, with a smug expression on his face. His clothes are brightly colored and have white fringe and fur on them. This man could have been paid to help relocate his brethren, so he would be better fed and rested than the rest of the Native Americans. In contrast there is a woman in the foreground on the right. She is riding a horse with a child positioned behind her. The woman is not dressed richly like the man to her left. She is wrapped in a darkly colored blanket in order to stay warm. There is contrast between the horses they ride also. The man’s horse is dark brown and well fed. The woman’s horse is light brown and looks emaciated and tired. There is a foal that is walking next to the emaciated horse. The horses almost seem to symbolize their riders. The woman’s horse has a child with it like the woman does. The woman is exhausted and probably malnourished as is her horse. The man’s horse doesn’t seem like it is malnourished, but it does seem tired from the trip. The man’s horse is the darkest horse in the painting. The man’s dark colored horse could symbolize that he is a traitor. The bad guy wears black in the Old Western Stories. There is an aspect of the old west in this painting, due to the covered wagons. Some of the Native Americans are not dressed in tribal garb but in hats and coats like white society, or a combination of both outfits.
The most prominent of the rhetoric appeals in this painting is pathos or the “pathetic appeal”. The painting portrays tired Natives dragging what little property they have along. The horses even appear to be tired. There are no smiles on the Cherokee’s faces, which leads to the conclusion that this journey is not a pleasant one. To the contrary their faces appear resigned and sad, as if they are accepting what fate has given them. The purpose of these affects is to inspire sympathy and sadness in the viewer, and not to try to cheer up a sad event. The depressing factor of the subject matter makes it easy to relate to the Cherokees. There is no need to actually have been evicted to sympathies with the emotions that they must have been feeling: fear, dread, and wariness. Even the sky is depicted as dreary and upsetting. There are no bright colors in the painting; even the white appears kind of dreary. Most of the people seem to have their heads down or their body position at a diagonal in order to signify weariness. There is a cloud of dust being kicked up by the feet of the animals and people. The dust cloud along with the endless line of travelers that disappears into the horizon help signifies the enormity of the event. The Indian Removal Act had an effect on a lot of lives. The line of travelers also makes it appear like they have been traveling forever and most likely have a long way to travel, which adds to the feeling of weariness. The covered wagons bursting at the seams with furniture, and the sheer volume of people alleviates to the fact that this is not a simple vacation or short trip to a neighboring town.
Throughout the crowd there are a few soldiers wearing blue uniforms and carrying guns and riding with the Cherokees. The soldiers are obviously there to provide structure and protection. The soldiers may also inspire the feeling of resentment, because they are the tools with which the Indian Removal Act of 1830 is being executed. The soldiers’ horses are standing tall and the soldiers are sitting with their backs straight, which gives the impression that they are better than the people surrounding them. The alertness of the soldiers and their steeds could also be the fact that they are better feed and rested than their charges.
Rhetoric appeals connect art and writing to their audience. The appeals discussed previously help the viewer of The Trail of Tears to connect to the painting, instead of just glancing at it with no emotion. By connecting to the subject matter emotions and thoughts are inspired in the audience.
“Artist Biographies: Robert Lindneux.” David Cook Fine Art. David Cook Galleries, LLC. 15 Nov. 2008. http://www.davidcookfineart.com/1/Lindneux_Robert_Ottokar.htm
Hickinbotham, Jim. “The Trail.” Trail of Tears. 16 Dec. 2000. 15 Nov. 2008 http://www.peaknet.net/~aardvark/index2.html
“The Five Civilized Nations.”Wikipedia. 20 Nov. 2008. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 Nov. 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Civilized_Tribes
“The Trail of Tears.” Wikipedia. 21 Nov. 2008. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 Nov. 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trail_of_Tears
“The Treaty of New Exhota.”Wikipedia. 11 Nov. 2008. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 Nov. 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_New_Echota
