Doralis Veranes Professor Hollands
English 104-992
28 September 2015

“Going Home”
The place where a person grew up will always be part of that person like a home, but when he leaves and comes back, the return to the familiar becomes unfamiliar. In the poem “Going Home” by Maurice Kenny, a Mohawk descendant captures the emotion that goes along with returning home for Native Americans. It feels foreign and they feel foreign to those that have stayed. Kenny uses imagery and symbolism to portray thoughts of his home he no longer feels is the same. His words are very deep and make readers think about the experiences they have when going back to their birth place.
Furthermore, in reality Kenny ran away from home to New York City at the age of sixteen because of his strict father. He stayed there for a while and eventually came back home. He portrays his experience and thoughts on his way back. Using imagery he describes his sights while on the way back, “The book lay unread in my lap; snow gathered at the window” (1-2). He uses more imagery to describe the sight of the field; creating a weary tone that is balanced with the beauty nature has provided. “to country cheese and maples; tired rivers and closed mills” (6-7). Along the way he makes the readers imagine his childhood memories, “home to gossipy aunts… their dandelions and pregnant cats” (8-9). Furthermore he creates an image of his birthplace, fruits of nature and rocky fields, “home to cedars and fields of boulders; cold graves under willows and pine” (10-11).
Moreover many Native Americans that leave the reservation are considered outcast because they abandoned their people and choose to live another way of life far from tradition. In the symbolic line, “from Brooklyn it was a long ride” (3) he is indicating not just the geographical distance that divides him, but the cultural one as well. In lines “home from Brooklyn to the reservation that was not home” (12-13); he reveals that he doesn’t feel at home in the reservation, perhaps due to the rejection from his family. Moreover “to songs I could not sing, to dance I could not dance” (14-15) symbolizes the loss of his personal identity from his culture and traditions because he was away for a long time. “…Brooklyn bars and ghetto rats; to steaming horses stomping frozen earth” (16-17) symbolizes the change from a city environment to a rural area. During his time at the reservation he notices that everything has changed. “To faces I did not know and hands which did not recognize me” (20-21) signify his unfamiliarity to his surroundings and perhaps his people’s disapproval. Lastly “To names and door -- my father shut” (22-23), implies that his father kept him from being part of the reservation.
Additionally, people tend to see every changes when returning home after a long time. Many memories from the past are forgotten and there is a hope that by going back, they will be able to recapture the lost memories important to them. Hence, not only the home changes but the people do as well; just like the author did. They see things differently and their old memories are replaced with their sight of a new home. Kenny felt a nostalgic feeling when he went back, but everything slightly changed. That’s why he felt that the reservation was a home that was not home. It was like the memories of his home in the reservation changed along with him.

In conclusion, the poet never felt at home on the reservation. After a long time of living far from home he felt unfamiliar to everything around him. This feeling can relate to those who have been away from home for a long time. Everything may have changed and they try to blend in, but because they have learned and experienced many different aspects of life, it’s difficult. Kenny emphasizes these feelings though his choice of imagery and symbolism.