How Does Sherman Alexie Overcome Stereotypes

American Indian students make up less than one percent of college or higher education students, and less than one third of American Indian students are continuing education after high school. In his memoir essay The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me, Sherman Alexie recalls learning to read, growing up on a reservation where he was expected to fail, and working tirelessly to read more and become a writer. Sherman Alexie had to overcome stereotypes in order to be accepted as smart and become a writer, which shows that it is harder for people who are stereotyped to be successful because they have less opportunities.
Growing up on a reservation where failing was welcomed and even somewhat encouraged, Alexie was pressured to conform to the stereotype and be just another average Indian. Instead, he refused to listen to anyone telling him how to act, and pursued his own interests in reading and writing at a young age. He looks back on his childhood, explaining about himself, “If he'd been anything but an Indian boy living on the reservation, he might have been called a prodigy. But he is an Indian boy living on the reservation and is simply an oddity” (17). Alexie compares the life and treatment of an Indian to life as a more privileged child. This side-by-side comparison furthers his point that

Indians are not expected to be intelligent, and if they are they are considered strange, not gifted. Alexie overcame the stereotype of not being intelligent, but strange. He worked to prove that he could be as smart as any non-Indian. As his talents went overlooked when he was young, Alexie didn’t receive the education or opportunities that any non-Indian would have. Looking back, he notices his lack of opportunities, writing, “In all my years in the reservation school system, I was never taught how to write poetry, short stories, or novels. I was certainly never taught that Indians wrote poetry, short stories and novels. Writing was something beyond Indians” (18). Alexie writes about how a common fallacy, the idea that Indians couldn’t write because they were less intelligent, made it difficult for him to pursue the career choice that he wanted to. He explains that it was a wide held belief that Indians were stupid, and as a result, their education was worse as they never learned to write well, and were subliminally, if not outright, told that they could not. Alexie had to overcome this popular stereotype and teach himself to read and write well due to the lack of education. He had to work harder than non-Indians because he did not have the opportunities they had, so he created his own. It was difficult for him to be successful because he didn’t have the same education or connections that are more common for non-Indian writers. He wants to encourage Indian children to dedicate themselves to learn so that they can have the same chances he did, but is not always successful. “‘Books,’ I say to them. ‘Books,’ I say. I throw my weight against their locked doors. The door holds. I am smart. I am arrogant. I am lucky. I am trying to save our lives” (18). He compares Indian students’ refusal to read more to a locked door, and uses repetition of ‘I am’ to emphasize that he is the divergent one, not the standard Indian. He is trying to create more opportunities for Indian children because growing up, he learned that there are not many chances for Indian children to grow academically. He knows that if these children want to overcome the common stereotype, they will need to put in time and effort. They have to work harder for it, so opportunities such as writing jobs or publishing deals come less frequently, given them a lower chance at success. Through dedication and effort, Alexie managed to overcome the stereotype in his life, setting an example for other Indian children.
Alexie worked and overcame stereotypes to pursue his dream of being a writer, which demonstrated how people who are stereotyped have less opportunities, so it is more difficult for them to be successful.

Alexi disregarded everyone who told him to be average, read as much as he could, and as a result was able to become a writer regardless of stereotypes, essentially proving them wrong. Stereotypes are often untrue, but if enough people believe them, can be compelling in the affected people’s lives. When they start to disappear, however, many more people become motivated to pursue a higher education, decide on different careers, and discover new talents and

successes.