In the post-war era, the implementation of petroleum throughout daily American l

In the post-war era, the implementation of petroleum throughout daily American life was a priority of domestic industry, infrastructure, and public policy. It is during this time that the petrochemical industry grows throughout the nation, the Interstate Highway system begins construction, and automobile sales increase exponentially. Roads and the consumption of petroleum–whether through fuel, cars, roads, or other means–become a part of American ritual. In some of the works we read this week (Momaday works as a sort-of ambulatory/anti-car narrative, while Erdrich and Alexie shows the vestiges of oil culture prominently in both their works), we see roads and cars–and therein petroculture at large–through various lenses.
So, here is my question: What does petroculture mean to Native Americans? More specifically, what does it mean to the Native American characters we see in the texts we read? In what ways does petroculture bound Native culture? In what ways do characters submit to or act against these outside sociocultural forces?
This question is like the capstone of your discussion posts and will require a little more critical thinking and close reading than other prompts. I’m curious as to what your observations are, what you see represented and where you see those representations. Here is my suggestion for process: read the texts, annotate anywhere with cars or oil culture representations, then form a claim. Begin your post with that claim. Then support that claim with textual details.