The Education of Little Tree

The 1990s revelation that The Education of Little Tree was a work of fiction, rather than its original marketing as a memoir, presented challenges to the classroom settings that taught it. Prior to the revelation, classrooms would discuss the book within the context of seeking to understanding the Cherokee way of life and encouraging cultural understanding. Its initial uses in the classroom also promoted the protection of nature, a lens that is still relevant to a larger analysis of the narrative’s structure. However, even after the truth of the novel’s origins came to light, educators still argue for the relevance of the book in the classroom, though the goals of its discussion and analysis have changed significantly.

Rather than discussing the book as an authentic memoir and examining it to understand one form of Native American lifestyle, educators now press their students to read the novel with a wary eye and use the events of the story to identify moments that reflect Asa Earl Carter’s own biases and prejudices. Students now read critical receptions and commentaries published about the book both before and after its fictitious nature came to light. The guided analysis and discussion in secondary classrooms challenge students to examine and differentiate fact from fiction, and to consider what information from the book is useful and what elements are harmful stereotypes.