Dances with Wolves by Michael Blake was published in 1986 after many years of rejection after rejection. This two-hundred-eighty-five page historical fiction novel tells the beautiful and awe-inspiring tale of young Lieutenant John Dunbar and his love for the vast open prairies of South Dakota. But, what is perhaps even more wonderful is the people who inhabited the land long before white men ever thought to settle it. This extraordinary tale shows the prejudices of whites against Indians and one man’s attempt to bridge that gap and save the land and people he has grown to love more than life itself.
Dances with Wolves takes place in the year 1863 at the tail-end of the Civil War when morale runs lower than resources. Lieutenant John Dunbar is sent with supplies to a desolate Fort Sedgewick. Upon his arrival the fort has been abandoned, its men gone back to the East Coast. Ever vigilant to his duties, Dunbar holds the fort, hoping that they will return and reinforcements arrive. All is for naught, his presence at the fort is not known by anyone, save himself. As time passes he soon finds himself in the company of an older wolf, Two-Socks. The two form a strange friendship and Dunbar finds peace and beauty on the prairie he has never felt before. …show more content…
The arrival of a Comanche tribe brings new strife as he struggles to keep his horse and supplies from being stolen. His worst fears are confirmed when his beloved horse is stolen not once but twice! However, he soon realizes that these Indians are not all that they seem and soon forms strong bonds with them after saving one of the women from near death. Eager to learn their language and break the barriers between his people and theirs he delves into their lifestyle. He learns of the Great Buffalo Hunt, how to track, and most important of all, he learns their language. Peace and happiness thrive but, when a group of white soldiers attack Dunbar, he learns the true value of friendship and