Parental Guidance

While reading the second third of Power, I was struck by the similarities between the situation revolving around Ama's trial and the relationship between two best friends or a parent and their child. Ama first went through a trial that followed the laws of the American government. During the trial, Taiga members supported Ama. They testified in her favor  which eventually led to the court declaring her innocent. 

Despite their support of Ama in court, the Taiga people held their own trial of Ama. During this trial, their actual opinions came out, and they ended up banishing Ama. 

These situations reminded me of when someone is in trouble in a public setting and their best friend or parent backs them up no matter what simply because that is what friends and parents do. However, after the public scene is over, the friend or parent reprimands the person in trouble or offers advice in private. This usually happens because that friend or parent cares enough to offer the person in trouble help and advice on how to never get into that situation again. They also care enough not to do it in public. 

In this situation, Ama is the child, and the Taiga people are the friend or parent who protect the image of their people in public before offering their own opinions and judgment in private.