Cochise
I am alone is a speech given by Cochise in which he states how bad and sad he feels about what is happening with his people. From the speech, we find out that Cochise was talking to the “white people” and he was informing them of all the things they have gone through. For example, Cochise states that his people have fought Spanish, Mexican, and American soldiers. Cochise finally becomes tired of what he and his people have gone through and all he really wants is peace for his people. The imagery that Cochise uses in this speech is great, especially when he describes Spanish soldiers in their iron shirts, long knives, and guns.
From his speech, we learn that Cochise is a leader of his people, in this case the Apaches. We know this because it is he who goes to the “white people” and explains his situation and what his people are going through. We also learn that Cochise is someone that cares for the well being of his people. From this we can infer that he is humble, caring, and all he really wants to do is live in peace among the white people. From what I can tell there was no tension in this speech, in fact Cochise seems to display a sort of calmness throughout the speech.
One cant help but to feel bad for Cochise and his people. They have been through a lot, considering that they fought the Spanish, Mexican, and American people. From the tone of Cochise, it seems that so much fighting had taken a toll, and at the same time Cochise realized that he was losing everything. Cochise kept on losing people, people of which he knew he would never get back. Cochise was very saddened with what was taken place and we know this from the tone that he was using while giving this speech. For example, he states that he comes not from any love for the American people, but as a conquered chief. His tone is almost as if he were begging the American people to let his people live in peace. He didn't care about anything else, he just wanted peace because he saw all the damage that had been done to his people. However, I cant help but ask a question; What would have happened if Cochise would have had a stronger army? Maybe things would have been different and he wouldn't have given up so soon. In a way, Cochise saw that he had no choice because the American soldiers kept on coming, whereas the Apache soldiers once dead, had no one to replace them. Cochise was humble until the end and we know this from leading his last sentence. Even if the Americans didn't help with resources such as food, I see Cochise as a great leader because in the end he states; “ I will do my best to feed and clothe them, in peace with the white man”. These to me were very powerful words.
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