Jodi didn't trust the American identity because she feared that people in the orphanage tried to take away her own Indian heritage. Thus, she didn't let anyone touch her. Jodi's parents got a divorce and abandoned her and her little brother. By losing her parents, she lost trust in the people that she should trust the most. After Jodi lost trust in her parents, there's nobody else left to trust because she can't depend on anyone. She was afraid that the lady might beat Jodi up and abuse her in the orphanage. If she would let that happen, then she will loose her identity. Esther trusted the new American heritage because she trusted Father Paul and his family- who took Esther's identity of a wild Indian girl away from her. Esther was not aware of the danger like Jodi. This got her betrayed by Father Paul in the end, when she realized she was used.
             Esther was accepted into Father Paul's family and his American heritage. She liked Father Paul's "kindly deeds and beautiful face." She thought all white people liked her and were nice to her-especially Father Paul's nephew Lawrence, who she discovered she loved. Esther learned to trust the white Americans, which changed her identity from a traditional wild Indian girl to a white, Christian girl. They taught her to dress only like the whites did, speak only English and stay only in the white community. Esther accepted this new identity because she trusted the people and the white heritage. Esther was not aware of the danger to loose her identity. When she was about to marry Lawrence, Father Paul revealed wheat he really thought of Esther. "She is the daughter of a pagan and uncivilized". Esther suffered the consequence of Father Paul's betrayal and lost the love of her life, Lawrence, forever by killing him-following her Indian heritage.
             In contrast, Jodi didn't trust her surroundings and the white...