Narrative Ideas for Death of the Iron Horse

Narrative of a Soldier

• The beginning of the story informs readers that white soldiers keep taking the Cheyenne Indians' land. The soldiers claimed the land as belonging to the United States, but the Cheyenne tribe didn't understand. Instruct students to write a narrative from the perspective of a soldier. Tell students to write about the strange group of people who refuse to move off the land. It is important that students understand how difficult it would have been for soldiers or most Americans to understand Native American culture.

Cheyenne Narrative Before and After the Iron Horse

• Students can write a narrative as a Cheyenne living before soldiers ever forced the tribe off its land. They can describe the Cheyenne way of life from the perspective of either a female or male tribe member. The students' narratives should focus on peaceful times among the Cheyenne people. In addition, students can write from the perspective of Cheyenne Indians after white soldiers and the railroad moved through their homelands. Older students can write a before-and-after narrative explaining how the railroad changed their lives. For example, the railroad decreased wild game like the buffalo because it wiped out trees and vegetation necessary for survival.

Narrative of a Young Cheyenne Warrior

• The young warriors in the story hunt down the locomotive or "iron horse" and destroy it. The group of warriors believed the locomotive would never come back or harm their families. Students can write from the perspective of a Cheyenne warrior and describe the importance of stopping the railroad from entering their land. Students need to include why the warriors felt proud that they derailed the train, even though several white people died as a result. Students can discuss how the soldiers killed their people in earlier years and how perhaps the Cheyenne acted with the same fear as the soldiers.

Narrative of a Reporter

• Instruct students to write narratives in which they report on the train derailment. Students can take sides as reporters, or they can relate to both the dead soldiers from the train and the Cheyenne warriors. Students can describe the events leading up to the disaster through the eyes of both groups of people. This approach to a narrative allows students to understand writing for a certain audience that either identifies with one particular side or prefers unbiased news.