Khada Dulal

B-3, Language Arts Honors

05/01/10

The Code Talker

Book Report

Since the guy on the left is very young, he almost looks like Ned when he joined the Marines.Info:

Part one: Location, Location, and Location

Short Description about the map:

First the character starts from his home (Dinetah, northeastern Arizona) to a Rehoboth mission school in Gallup, New Mexico. Then he moves on to Fort Defiance, Arizona and to Fort Wingate which is also located in Arizona. Then, he goes to Camp Elliot in California and ships out to Hawaii. He goes in training in Guadalcanal. He moves on with his fellow soldiers to Bougainville and then to Guam. Finally, he goes to Iwo Jima. And after a few days at Iwo Jima, the Japanese Emperor Hirohito surrenders. So, he goes back to his own Navajo village in northeastern Arizona.

Part 1: Location, location, location.

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Ned is 12 years old when he has to go to Rehoboth mission school in New Mexico. He is heart broken when he finds out that he has to leave his parents. His school is far from his home. It was made a rule by the Americans that every Navajo kid had to learn English.

Ned Begay’s birth place takes place in Dinetah, northeastern Arizona. He grew up around mountains like these. This place was also called Navajo nation. But now it’s Window Rock in Arizona.

Dinetah, Northeastern, Arizona.

Rehoboth Mission School, New Mexico

When Ned got out of mission school, he was going to a college near his house. Ned heard about the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. So, he became eager to join the Marines and fight for his country. So, he went to Fort Defiance to sign up for the Marines.

Fort Defiance, Arizona

He went to Fort Wingate to basic trainings for the Marines. There he made many Navajo friends.

Ned went to Camp Elliot to get training to learn new top-secret code based in the Navajo language.

Camp Elliot, California

HawaiiNed went to Hawaii to get Navajo code talking training. Since the Navajos became famous of their code talking ability without being detected by Japanese, many Navajo men were used as code talker in WW2.

GuadalcanalFrom October 17 to 19 of 1943 Ned and his marine friends conducted landing exercises on the beaches in Canal.

Bougainville Allied forces move in Bougainville to take out the Japanese camps. Ned was also deployed in the same mission. So he and his best friend Georgia boy were in Bougainville to win the battle against the Japanese.

Guam

It was another battle that Ned and the Marines had to fight in the Guam Island. Guam was considered an American territory. But the Japanese had invaded it and had set up several camps. So, the Marines wanted to get back what was theirs.

Iwo Jima Battle of Iwo Jima was actually a major battle for the allied forces. Ned’s friend Georgia Boy gets shot in his throat in this battle. It was 1945 and the biggest marine forces were going to assault the Japanese stronghold of Iwo Jima. But first they had to capture the north side of Mount Suribachi. Ned plays a major role in sending and receiving messages in Navajo language.

Note: The man who is at the end and is trying hard to touch the flag is a Navajo code talker.

Part 2: Quiz Time

Match the famous Navajo words from the book to their meanings:

1. Wolachii a: Little baby2. Awee Yazhi b: Silver3. Hozhooji c: Ant4. Semper Fidelis d: The Ceremony of Blessing away5. Beesh e: Always Faithful

Multiple Choice:

1. Who was the only person in Ned Begay’s family that had went to the mission school?a. His Fatherb. His Unclec. His Grandfatherd. His Stepdad

2. Ned’s trip to school with his uncle is important because it:a. shows the importance of code talkersb. shows why Ned is being sent to schoolc. shows that his uncle is trying to make Ned forget his cultured. shows why Ned is angry at his family

3. What does bilagaanas translate in English?a. Black peopleb. Servantsc. Hispanic peopled. White people

4. What did the Mexicans did to the Navajo Indians?a. Sold themb. Raped themc. Killed themd. Bribed them

5. Clan is an important factor in identifying Navajos from different areas. What clan is Ned Begay born for?

a. Bitter water clanb. Corn clanc. Mud cland. Arrow clan

6. What is the first English word that Navajo kids learn at school?a. Hellob. Good c. Sorryd. Hi

7. Ned’s experience at mission school is important because:a. It shows how Ned prepares for the war.b. It shows how Ned realizes that English is a better language that Navajo.c. It shows how most white people feel about Navajos during that timed. It shows how Ned escapes from his family

8. How old was Ned Begay when he joined the Marines?a. 12 years oldb. 16 years old c. 20 years oldd. 15 years old

9. The mood of Navajo Marines in Camp Elliott is happy and exciting because:a. the Navajos are on furloughb. they are not in combatc. some of the Navajos were promotedd. The Navajos are respected and allowed to speak Navajo.

10. Who is the famous person that Ned meets during his training in Guadalcanal?a. George Washingtonb. Harry Trumanc. Franklin Rooseveltd. John F. Kennedy

11. When Ned sends a letter back to his parents, what else does he send along with the letter?

a. His dog tagb. His blood stained shirtc. His diaryd. His lucky coin

12. While his divison is at the island of Guam, what creature is Ned afraid of?a. Spidersb. Squirrelsc. Crabsd. Rats

13. After winning any battle, what do Ned and his Navajo friends do?a. Drink a lot of wineb. Gather around and tell storiesc. Pray to the god to be safed. Perform a religious Navajo dance.

14. What was the main purpose of boot camp in Fort Defiance mentioned on the book?a. To train the soldiers about the enemy tacticsb. To make the soldiers adapt to the marine way of livingc. To make new recruits physically fitd. To train the Marines to operate weapons

15. During the battle of Guam, which friend of Ned is shot in the throat?a. Georgia boyb. Smittyc. Philip Johnsond. John Benally

16. What is interesting about Ned when he goes to war?a. He is always happy about itb. He doesn’t care about winning any battlec. He gets shot every time when he goes to ward. He has to carry a huge 80 pound radio.

17. How is Ned treated when he stops at a shop on his way home?a. He is given discount on his purchase.b. The shop owner is excited about meeting a Navajo marine.c. He is kicked out from the shop.d. He is praised for his contribution on World War 2.

18. How does Ned describe his experience of being a Marine?a. He is happy for serving his country.b. He feels sorry about those Japanese civilians.c. He is excited in going to war again.d. He thinks war is not a solution to problem. So, he doesn’t want to go to war

anymore.19. A monument to the Navajo code talkers could not have been built prior to 1968

because:a. the code talkers were secret and classified until that timeb. code talkers were still alivec. Americans did not believe that the code was successfuld. the code talkers refused to acknowledge their involvement in the war

20. Who does Ned frequently refer to during the book?a. His parentsb. His friendsc. Future Navajo Marinesd. His Grandchildren

Short Answers:

1. When travelling with his Uncle, Ned Begay hears about “The Long Walk”. What is “The Long Walk”?

2. What were few things that Navajo children had to do in school?3. What did Mr. Reamer do when Ned Begay greeted politely in Navajo language on his

second day of school?4. How was Ned Begay doing in pursuing his education?5. How did Ned feel when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor? Why?6. Briefly describe how the ceremony of Blessing away performed?7. Describe an incident where Ned is considered a hero by his friends?8. What is the role of Navajo code talkers in World War 2?9. How does being Navajo affect Ned’s feelings and experiences in the Marines?10. Describe the Japanese attack method known as “Banzai”?

Fill in the blanks:

1. Japan is also known as ______ in the book.2. Navajo tribal council met at _____ and declared war on Germany, Italy and Japan.3. ____ is the name of Marine Corps’ camp newspaper.4. Ned had to learn to ____ during his stay at Camp Elliot.5. ____ were the special food packet that the Marines had to carry with them so that they

would have food to eat.6. The four rules for sending messages in the field were ____, ____, ____and ____.7. Ned always carried a pouch of ____ with him in the war.8. ____ was the name the armed forces gave to the sickness of the mind and the spirit.9. Many of the Marines got ____ in Guam.10. Many of the Japanese soldiers wore bands on their head called ____.

Essays:

1. How is Ned treated throughout the book? Relate to the different situations in the book. 2. Ned notices that the Navajos have a much easier time adjusting to life as Marines than

the white men. Why does he feel his life as a Navajo prepared him for being a Marine?

Answers:

Matching:

1. Wolachii (C) a: Little baby2. Awee Yazhi (A) b: Silver3. Hozhooji (D) c: Ant4. Semper Fidelis (E) d: The Ceremony of Blessing away5. Beesh (B) e: Always Faithful

Multiple Choice:

1. Who was the only person in Ned Begay’s family that had went to the mission school?a. His Fatherb. His Unclec. His Grandfatherd. His Stepdad

2. Ned’s trip to school with his uncle is important because it:a. shows the importance of code talkersb. shows why Ned is being sent to schoolc. shows that his uncle is trying to make Ned forget his cultured. shows why Ned is angry at his family

3. What does bilagaanas translate in English?a. Black peopleb. Servantsc. Hispanic peopled. White people

4. What did the Mexicans did to the Navajo Indians?a. Sold themb. Raped themc. Killed themd. Bribed them

5. Clan is an important factor in identifying Navajos from different areas? What clan is Ned Begay born for?

a. Bitter water clanb. Corn clanc. Mud cland. Arrow clan

6. What is the first English word that Navajo kids learn at school?a. Hellob. Good c. Sorryd. Hi

7. Ned’s experience at mission school is important because:a. It shows how Ned prepares for the war.b. It shows how Ned realizes that English is a better language that Navajo.c. It shows how most white people feel about Navajos during that timed. It shows how Ned escapes from his family

8. How old was Ned Begay when he joined the Marines?a. 12 years oldb. 16 years old c. 20 years oldd. 15 years old

9. The mood of Navajo Marines in Camp Elliott is happy and exciting because:a. the Navajos are on furloughb. they are not in combatc. some of the Navajos were promotedd. The Navajos are respected and allowed to speak Navajo.

10. Who is the famous person that Ned meets during his training in Guadalcanal?a. George Washingtonb. Harry Trumanc. Franklin Rooseveltd. John F. Kennedy

11. When Ned sends a letter back to his parents, what else does he send along with the letter?

a. His dog tagb. His blood stained shirtc. His diaryd. His lucky coin

12. While his divison is at the island of Guam, what creature is Ned afraid of?a. Spidersb. Squirrelsc. Crabsd. Rats

13. After winning any battle, what do Ned and his Navajo friends do?a. Drink a lot of wineb. Gather around and tell storiesc. Pray to the god to be safed. Perform a religious Navajo dance.

14. What was the main purpose of boot camp in Fort Defiance mentioned on the book?a. To train the soldiers about the enemy tacticsb. To let the soldiers adapt to the marine way of livingc. To make new recruits physically fitd. To train the Marines to operate weapons

15. During the battle of Guam, which friend of Ned is shot in the throat?a. Georgia boyb. Smittyc. Philip Johnsond. John Benally

16. What is interesting about Ned when he goes to war?a. He is always happy about itb. He doesn’t care about winning any battlec. He gets shot every time when he goes to ward. He has to carry a huge 80 pound radio.

17. How is Ned treated when he stops at a shop on his way home?a. He is given discount on his purchase.b. The shop owner is excited about meeting a Navajo marine.c. He is kicked out from the shop.d. He is praised for his contribution on World War 2.

18. How does Ned describe his experience of being a Marine?a. He is happy for serving his country.b. He feels sorry about those Japanese civilians.c. He is excited in going to war again.d. He thinks war is not a solution to problem. So, he doesn’t want to go to war

anymore.19. A monument to the Navajo code talkers could not have been built prior to 1968

because:a. the code talkers were secret and classified until that timeb. code talkers were still alivec. Americans did not believe that the code was successfuld. the code talkers refused to acknowledge their involvement in the war

20. Who does Ned frequently refer to during the book?a. His parentsb. His friendsc. Future Navajo Marinesd. His Grandchildren

Short Answer:

1. When travelling with his Uncle, Ned Begay hears about “The Long Walk”. What is “The Long Walk”?Ans: White people had forced Navajos to walk hundreds of miles to a strange and faraway place called Fort Sumner. The Navajos had to start a new life. But they didn’t get to live happily there. They were again troubled by the Mexicans and hated by the white people.

2. What were few things that Navajo children had to do in school?Ans: The purpose for a Navajo kid to attend Mission school was to learn English. They also had to forget their Navajo language completely. They had to cut their hair. Hair was a big deal in Navajo community. They also had to take of their jewelries and wear a uniform.

3. What did Mr. Reamer do when Ned Begay greeted politely in Navajo language on his second day of school?Ans: Mr. Reamer slapped Ned. Mr. Reamer felt insulted. He picked Ned up and carried him to the sink. He opened Ned’s mouth and put in a big, wet bar of soap. He also shut Ned’s mouth for a couple of minutes.

4. How was Ned Begay doing in pursuing his education?Ans: Ned was actually doing very well in school. He studied and wrote and the teachers noticed him. Since, he didn’t speak up much in the class; he was staying out of trouble. He was passing tests with high grades and handing in assignments done in perfect English. He wanted to achieve his goal by doing well in school.

5. How did Ned feel when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor? Why?Ans: Ned felt happy when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. He thought that it was time to do something great and prove himself and his tribe to the people of America. He had an idea of becoming a Marine and serving his country.

6. Describe the significance of Blessing away ceremony?Ans: Before Ned went to Marines a ceremony of Blessing away was performed. It was performed to keep Ned safe from the enemy bullets in the battlefield. A singer chanted prayers that which was thought of keeping all the evil out of Ned’s way.

7. Describe an incident where Ned is considered a hero by his friends?Ans: In Bougainville, Ned’s squad took a crucial enemy position quicker than anyone expected. Right after the squad occupied the spot, shells began to hit all around them. Those shells were from US Marine but of some other division. Ned’s squad told them

that they were Americans. But the Marines had heard such phony messages used by Japanese fighters. So, they didn’t believe Ned’s Squad. Finally the Navajos were used in sending messages. And the little friendly war was over.

8. What is the role of Navajo code talkers in World War 2?Ans: Communication is essential during any war and World War 2 was no different. Navajo Indians were recruited and trained. Navajo code was supposed to be unbreakable and it did work in World War 2. Navajo made their own word for every English word. So, they sent messages in their own language without tipping anyone off about their location or where they were headed. Ned described their code talking skill as a “Navajo net that kept everything connected like a spider's strands spanning distant branches”.

9. How does being Navajo affect Ned’s feelings and experiences in the Marines?Ans: He is very well prepared for certain tasks and ill prepared for others, like swimming, due to his upbringing and way of life. He is on guard and sometimes fearful of discrimination because he is kept in the dark about his mission. He is upset about not being recognized for his contributions.

10. Describe the Japanese attacking method known by the Marines as “Banzai”?Ans: During a banzai attack, Japanese soldiers would run fiercely towards the enemy with a gun or a sword or even just bare hands, shouting "banzai" as a tribute to their emperor, Hirohito. Many Japanese soldiers died during this attack. It was like a suicide mission. It was an attack without a tactic.

Fill in the blanks:

1. Tippon2. Window Rock, Arizona3. Chevron4. Swim5. C-Rations6. Send, Receive, Roger and Move.7. Corn pollen8. Battle Fatigue9. Malaria10. Sennimbari

Essays:

1. How is Ned treated throughout the book? Relate to the different situations in the book. What is the real irony in this book?

Ans: Being a Navajo has affected many different aspects of Ned’s life. It all starts when Ned

goes to mission school. There Ned is supposed to forget every Navajo part of him. He is

supposed to forget his language, his culture and tradition. He is also punished by Mr. Reamer

when he greets him in Navajo language (refer to short answer No.3). He is treated horribly by

other teachers in the school. He is also locked in a smelly restroom for 2 hours. But he finds

that boarding school makes him even more determined to hold onto his language and his

culture.

After he is done with his mission school, he joins Marines. He is relieved by joining the

Marines. And in fact, he is treated differently by his fellow Marines. He is supported by his

friends. He also has white friends who hold no grudge against a Navajo marine. Ned’s work

is also valued and he also plays a major role in the battle. In the battle of Bougainville, he

saves a many lives of his friends (refer to short answer No.7). After the incident Ned is also

called “Chief”.

After the war is over, he receives a report from his Marine General. The report says “The

Navajos have proved to be excellent Marines, intelligent, industrious, and easily taught to

send and receive by key and excellent in the field”. This news makes Ned feel like sun is

shining in his heart because he is always used to hearing only criticism from white people

towards the Navajos. He has become so used to being judged and derided for his Navajo

customs, lifestyle, and language, and now instead his people are being praised for their

intelligence, skill, and knowledge.

On his way to home, Ned stops by a shop. As he enters the shop, he is insulted by two white

men. They don’t let him buy anything. And they also post a sign that says “No Indians

Served”. Ned is furious and he wants to fight them. But he doesn’t. He understands that it

would not accomplish anything.

The real irony in this book is although the teachers at Ned’s mission school tried their best in

making the Navajo kids forget their language, it proved be a lifesaver of many Marines in

World War 2. If only the Navajo code hadn’t been discovered, who knows how many more

soldiers America would have lost. And anything could have happen. Axis power could have

won the war. And no one wanted that to happen.