Sing Down the Moon

Given that O’Dell’s Sing Down the Moon is a work of historical fiction, Bright Morning is a lens through which readers can interpret the historical details described in the work. Yet O’Dell also delves into Bright Morning’s individual concerns. At the beginning of the novel, she is on a quest to prove her maturity and confidence, and she is also infatuated with Tall Boy and concerned with what he, and others, think of her.

Bright Morning faces serious trials very early on in the novel, and thus she quickly overcomes her lack of confidence and fixation on the perception of others. She shows strength and resolve throughout her enslavement and escape, traits which continue to evolve over the course of the novel. She relies on her intuition, wisdom, and tenacity to escape her initial enslavement, and it is these traits that later help her to escape from Bosque Redondo.

Even after Tall Boy sustains his injury, loses the chance to be a warrior, and descends in social standing, Bright Morning remains loyal to him, noting that her “heart went out to him” as she sees how crushed he is (71). This exemplifies how Bright Morning’s relationship to Tall Boy changed from one that required him to validate her into one based on mutual support.