The central theme in “Chee’s Daughter” is one of personal identity and integrity. By remaining true to himself and his Navajo heritage, Chee brings his daughter home and preserves his family’s way of life in Little Canyon. Chee takes care of his land, and his land does take care of him. In contrast, Old Man Fat leaves the land, choosing to live a lazy life. He not only abandons his heritage, he shamelessly sells it to tourists every day at the Red Sands Trading Post. When business disappears, he is left with nothing. Besides being poverty stricken, Old Man Fat has traded away his pride, his dignity, and his Navajo identity.
“Chee’s Daughter” features strong contrasts that support the story’s thematic development. The contrasts between Chee
