Jack Crabb is a 121-year-old man and tells his life story to a historian who is interested in the American West. Born during a wagon train journey on the frontier, Jack is adopted by the Cheyenne tribe after his family is killed in a massacre. He learns their language, customs, and way of life and becomes fully immersed in their culture.
As he grows up, Jack experiences a series of adventures that include run-ins with both hostile tribes and the US Army. He eventually leaves the Cheyenne and works as a snake oil salesman, a gunslinger, and a cavalry scout before eventually reuniting with his long-lost sister and running into General George Armstrong Custer at the Little Bighorn.
Throughout his experiences, Jack's perspective on the world and the different cultures he encounters becomes increasingly conflicted. He learns about the injustices and atrocities committed by both the Native Americans and the white settlers and begins to question his own identity and allegiances.
Little Big Man is a satirical and comedic yet reflective and brutally honest examination of American colonialism, racism, and violence. It is a complex and thought-provoking tale that challenges traditional Western narratives and forces the audience to question their own assumptions and biases.