Despite the novel's initial popular appeal as a "protest novel" against the discrimination and degradation of native Americans, and the psychological ravages of war, the strength of House Made of Dawn lies in its depiction of Abel, a native American, who is being healed by cultural and spiritual means from the pain of these events.

Within this framework, Momaday depicts the power of language upon Abel — the white culture's silencing and the Indian culture's healing. Momaday, like Alex Haley in Roots, depicts the ability of a strong cultural heritage to unite and connect an individual and a people.

His work also is specific to Southwestern Indian cultures. Momaday captures a patchwork of the dying traditions of the Navajo, Jemez Pueblo, and Kiowa. He records Abel's experiences with these fading cultures, not with a sense of loss, but with a sense of discovery. An important part...