Colonization describes the exercise of an unequal power relationship by the colonizer that often profoundly impacts the lives of the colonized. This is true in two stories by Pamela Sargent: Shadows and The Broken Hoop. .
In Shadows the colonizers, Aadae, set up a short term colony next to a city. Here they force all the humans to live in domes that they have set up. In the domes the people are made to put together these devices. It seems at first that the Aadea have harmful intentions, they execute any humans that try to escape or rebel against them. But in the end the only reason that the Aadea were there was to open up the human's minds that would allow them to come in touch with and travel through out the universe. .
The Aadea have a strong power over the humans. The humans lives were changed for good. Many were killed because of actions that they took while the Aadea held them captive, Some by the Aadea, and some from other people. In the end human lives were changed because the Aadea taught them wisdom and saved them from the "oblivion of death." .
In the story The Broken Hoop Catholics colonized Native American lands and had a large impact on their lives. The Catholics tried in every way that they would to convert the Native Americans to believe in God rather than the gods that they believed in. For many they were successful. Catherine was one that "fell" to the believes of the Catholics. She also took on the role of teaching the Native American children at the mission. .
The colonizers impacted the Native Americans by trying to take their beliefs and traditions away. After the use of force they were successful. .
Colonization can have a large and significant impact on a native people if the power is unequal between them. This impact may be for the better of the natives such as in the story Shadows. On the other hand it may not be a vary good thing like in The Broken Hoop.
