Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two

Bruchac, Joseph. Code Talker a Novel about the Navajo Marines of World War Two. New York: Dial, 2005. Print.

Ned Begay, a 16 year old Navajo, leaves his family behind to join the Marines to honor his fellow tribe members. Using his sacred language, Ned joins other Navajo’s to become what was a critical group within World War II, a code talker. While enduring vicious battle after battle, Ned and his fellow Navajo’s were able to save numerous American soldiers from their deaths. Because of their efforts, Ned is able to recount his story as he speaks to his grandchildren.

Ned Begay begins his story with speaking of his experience as a Navajo Code Talker in The Unites States Marines. Throughout the novel, Begay describes to his grandchildren the meaning of his medal, what he endured in boarding school of not being able to speak his native language, enlisting in the Marines at the age of 16, and what he and fellow code talkers did throughout the deployments during World War II. As Begay spoke of his days in the military, he continues to refer to his grandchildren and emphasize how what he did at a young Navajo was to honor the elders of his tribe and what an honor it was to serve the very country that relocated and governed his very tribe. 

Bruchac was able to make this fictional character realistic through first hand experiences that are described throughout the novel. As the reader was introduced to fellow Navojo classmates and Marines, the names of these individuals seemed authentic. For example, names like Many Horses and Dawn Girl and referred to one another as relative. Each individual provided place of birth an what clan they came from. Bruchac also describes prayers that Begay would perform and the celebrations on base before shipping off to war. As Begay spoke, Bruchac gave his character a very respectful and well spoken dialect. The reader can imagine hearing a grandfather or elder male speaking and telling the story by the diction Bruchac used. Readers are able to imagine what growing up as a Navajo was like for a young boy, as well as what military personnel go through when deployed to defend their own country. They will also see how cultures are viewed and treated differently through stereotypical views of one another.

  

Reviews

School Library Journal

Grade 5 Up–In the measured tones of a Native American storyteller, Bruchac assumes the persona of a Navajo grandfather telling his grandchildren about his World War II experiences. Protagonist Ned Begay starts with his early schooling at an Anglo boarding school, where the Navajo language is forbidden, and continues through his Marine career as a "code talker," explaining his long silence until "de-classified" in 1969. Begay's lifelong journey honors the Navajos and other Native Americans in the military, and fosters respect for their culture. Bruchac's gentle prose presents a clear historical picture of young men in wartime, island hopping across the Pacific, waging war in the hells of Guadalcanal, Bougainville, and Iwo Jima. Nonsensational and accurate, Bruchac's tale is quietly inspiring, even for those who have seen Windtalkers, or who have read such nonfiction works as Nathan Aaseng's Navajo Code Talkers (Walker, 1992), Kenji Kawano's Warriors: Navajo Code Talkers (Northland, 1990), or Deanne Durrett's Unsung Heroes of World War II: The Story of the Navajo Code Talkers (Facts On File, 1998). For those who've read none of the above, this is an eye-opener.–Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY

Booklist

*Starred Review* Gr. 6-9. Six-year-old Ned Begay leaves his Navajo home for boarding school, where he learns the English language and American ways. At 16, he enlists in the U.S. Marines during World War II and is trained as a code talker, using his native language to radio battlefield information and commands in a code that was kept secret until 1969. Rooted in his Navajo consciousness and traditions even in dealing with fear, loneliness, and the horrors of the battlefield, Ned tells of his experiences in Hawaii, Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Guam, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. The book, addressed to Ned's grandchildren, ends with an author's note about the code talkers as well as lengthy acknowledgments and a bibliography. The narrative pulls no punches about war's brutality and never adopts an avuncular tone. Not every section of the book is riveting, but slowly the succession of scenes, impressions, and remarks build to create a solid, memorable portrayal of Ned Begay. Even when facing complex negative forces within his own country, he is able to reach into his traditional culture to find answers that work for him in a modern context. Readers who choose the book for the attraction of Navajo code talking and the heat of battle will come away with more than they ever expected to find. Carolyn Phelan

I really enjoyed reading this book and will definitely check out others of Bruchac and other Natives have written. This novel will be a great addition to a classroom library for students to read and see a different point of view of a culture that we do not speak of very much, if at all. As units on World War II are taught, many focus on only the Holocaust victims and the harsh treatments. Please do not misinterpret this. I think it is vital for our students to see, read, and hear what happened to innocent people to understand what hatred can do to people and the world. But, I also think they need to read and study about those who fought the battles and helped win over Hitler and his allies. Bringing in such a novel will not only do this, but it will also introduce a new culture that many American children are not familiar with. Young male students would enjoy reading this novel as it deals with war and defeating the enemy to gain a victory. This novel is one that is easy for young readers to follow and understand without becoming overwhelmed with information. They are able to gain the first hand experience through a fictional character.

Navajo Code Talkers