Yellow Woman

Why do you think the “Yellow Woman” stayed with Silva after their first night together? Do you think she would have had a chance if she would have tried to flee?

In Yellow Woman, the Indian is “abducted” on the riverbank by Silva. I placed abducted in quotation marks, but I’m not sure that the “Yellow Woman” really didn’t want to go with Silva. On page 3145 she says, “I don’t have to go…” and then goes on to say “I walked beside him, breathing hard because he walked fast, his hand around my wrist..” She tried to resist him, but them stopped and actually enjoyed his company. I think the “Yellow Woman” stayed with Silva because it was something exciting, dangerous something out o the norm for a married mother of the Laguna Pueblo Tribe. She was enticed by his forcefulness and his spontaneity. I think she found in him, what she didn’t find in her husband. Al was more of a loving, caring individual, someone one would like to raise a family with; Silva was more someone you would like to spend a weekend with, his ruggedness and risqué lifestyle. I think maybe the “Yellow Woman” needed a change in her life, grew bored, and needed something to spice up her life. Or also, I think she may have been scared of Silva. Going along with the second question, I think the “Yellow Woman” may have stopped resisting because she knew she had no choice, she was going to have to follow him and do as he said. Silva said to her “You don’t understand, do you, little Yellow Woman? You will do what I want” (3147).  Then she says “I was afraid because I understood that his strength could hurt me (3147). I think the “Yellow Woman” knew that they were in the middle of nowhere, Silva lived alone, and was a very rough man. She thought he was very capable of killing her and feeling no remorse. She was scared of his strength and didn’t want to find out what he was capable of. That’s why I think is another reason she stayed with him longer than just the first night. Also, I don’t think she would have had a chance to flee. He was capable of killing her anytime he pleased. He lives away from any civilization, was a thief, and had a rifle and a knife that he could easily kill her without anyone ever knowing. Obviously the family wasn’t too worried about her because they assumed that she would come back and went on with their everyday life.  So, I don’t believe she would have been able to flee even if she was given the chance to.