Lack Of Knowledge In Sherman Alexie's Superman And Me

Knowledge can take many forms. Knowledge can range from being an expert mathematician to learning to count to ten. In all forms, it has significance. Yet, with knowledge comes some consequence. Many have said that knowledge is both a curse and a blessing--a true statement as there are consequences for the pursuit of knowledge.

There are limits about how far one should pursue knowledge. Although some may have more serious consequences than others, it is always ill-advised to cross those boundaries in the first place. In Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein seeks to create a species superior to humans. But, when he finishes he realizes how terrifying his creation is and flees (Shelly 49). His mistake leads to the deaths of himself as well as his entire family. Upon deciding to create his monster Frankenstein has no thought about the consequences of his actions. He rushes into

his work, focusing only on pursuing knowledge and testing his theories.
Yet, on some occasions it is necessary to cross an apparent barrier in the pursuit of knowledge. This is the case in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. Guy Montag defies the laws set in place by his government, keeping and reading books in his home (Bradbury 73). As a result of his gaining knowledge, he realizes the flaws in his society. Teenagers murder innocent civilians as a game, and people spend more time talking to their parlor walls than to each other, and no listens to anything other than the radio. The civilians are brainwashed and without knowledge. Faber and Montag work together to try to take down the system holding its people back. If not for Montag deciding to take the books, despite any consequences, he may never have tried to make a difference in his world.
One could argue that knowledge is only either a curse or a blessing, and never both.

In Sherman Alexie’s “Superman and Me,” Alexie tells the story for how he “learned to read with a Superman comic book” and how the knowledge he gains impacts his life (Alexie 110). The knowledge he gains from the comic book leads him to become an adept reader. He is an underappreciated prodigy child who because he lives on a reservation. He was provided a gateway which leads him to a successful career as an author and as a teacher of creative writing to children on reservations. Some may call his knowledge a blessing, but it is not without consequence. Alexie “fought with [his] classmates on a daily basis,” because they wanted him to “stay quiet when the non-Indian teacher asked for answers” (Alexie 111). Indian children are expected to be stupid, and to grow up working minimum wage jobs. Alexie has to survive constant bullying, harassment, and ridicule from his peers throughout his childhood. Despite the fact that Alexie is blessed with knowledge, it results in his being tormented--undoubtedly a

curse.
Knowledge is both a curse and a blessing. There are consequences for having knowledge, some larger than most can comprehend. Knowing this can help one maintain a balance, know their limits, and decide whether it is worth it to pursue knowledge even knowing the cost of such knowledge.