House Made of Dawn made a powerful impact when it was published because of its treatment of Native American folklore and the values these tales passed on to subsequent generations. In Western culture, readers look for the "moral" of a story, especially one that is told in the context of a religious lesson. In the case of folklore, interpretation for an audience of outsiders is almost impossible, so it is hard to explain the culture that values them. Momaday's writing style reflects this complex method of retelling stories and is reflective of Native American folklore.

World War II resulted in increased contact between Native American populations and people from the mainstream culture.

Although prejudice and discriminatory policies did not disappear overnight, the fact that people from ethnic subcultures were thrown together in barracks in the war led to some softening social boundaries. Many whites met real...