The Foundation of Identity Stereotypes have powerful effects on how individuals judge and treat a person or place. The kind of stereotypes can vary; it can be an expectation about the person's personality, preferences, appearance and ability. In "The Danger of a Single Story”, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie explains how stories are used to rob and to harm, however, stories can also be used to entitle and to civilize. Single narratives are not always inaccurate, but they are incomplete. Everyone has been guilty in the face of a single story. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie tells a story where her roommate was surprised that she knew how to speak English and how to use a stove. However, she grew up in a very well educated, middle class family in eastern …show more content…
She explains how an individual's identity is shaped based on societal influences and individual characteristics. Sherman Alexie's narrative embraces how culture, determination, and education assisted him in persevering his way through stereotypes and society. Tatum's and Adichie's arguments and ideas on how society's influences and biased opinions take part in our identity and culture are emphasized in Sherman Alexie's story “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me”. Sherman Alexie shows how he overcomes and challenges prejudice and discrimination as an Indian child in “Superman and Me”. However, many reservations do not have a well supported education system as part of their community. He proves that intelligence is not limited by race, culture, or background. Sherman Alexie in "The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me” renounces that “As Indian children, we were expected to fail in the non-Indian world” (Alexie 17). Indians were stereotyped as being unable to achieve anything outside of their own culture. Adichie had a similar personal experience with a professor who mentioned her novel was not authentically African due to the fact …show more content…
In "Superman and Me” Sherman Alexie demonstrated “I loved those books, but I also knew that love only had one purpose. I was trying to save my life” (Alexie 18). Reading books gave Alexie the opportunity to find his passion in writing. Books have made a big impact on his life and are what inspired him to become a writer instead of a pediatrician. As Sherman Alexie started to grow he started writing short narratives, poems, and novels. Sherman Alexie announces that he “visits schools and teaches creative writing to Indian kids” (18). Alexie teaches things to Indian kids he was never taught in the reservation school system. He wants to make sure they experience writing “their own poetry, short stories, and novels” (Alexie 18). In “The Complexity of Identity: Who Am I” Tatum references schools as places “where social identities are both reinforced and challenged”. Alexie gives the students an opportunity to view other perspectives on the world through reading and writing. Students get to experience life in different ways and find their identities through the art of reading and writing. Society stereotypes and influences have an outstanding impact on an individual's identity. Stereotypes have led people into a different perspective
Sherman Alexie, a Spokane and Coeur d’Alene American Indian, spent his childhood years on the Spokane reservation in Washington but left for high school as well as college with mainly students of the native American origin. The reservation evidently made a vast effect on Alexie’s life as it is demonstrated from one of his earlier book, the 1993 short story compilation The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. Through this novel, Sherman Alexie forces his audience to question popular culture
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
“Superman and Me”, is a profound essay written by Sherman Alexie in 1998 discussing the impact reading had on his life. He became motivated to save lives through knowledge, demolish stereotypes surrounding Native Americans, and avoid possible permanent disenfranchisement of his culture. In chronological order he explains from his perspective how difficult and complicated it is to be a Spokane Indian living in America, and how powerful reading can alter your life and create a better future. Alexie’s
down? In Sherman Alexie’s essay “Superman and Me”, the author informs the reader of the struggles he has experienced as a young American Indian boy striving for success. Alexie faces poverty and stereotypes while growing up, yet despite these challenges, he wants to learn, which shows the reader how education can be a gateway for success. As an American Indian boy growing up with stereotypes and challenges already against him, Sherman self motivates himself to learn, and this leads
decades, the myth and stereotypes surrounding native American Culture has long been only viewed through, Hollywood portrayals, religious, educational studies. It has long remained controversial topic and has raised just as many questions concerning Indians and the cultural life of Native Americans as it has answered. Sherman Alexie’s story serves to both reinforce those stereotypes and shatter them all together. In “This is What it Means to say Phoenix, Arizona” Sherman Alexie uses the third person
Sherman Alexie and Richard Wright are famous writers who faced a lot of different problems and challenges. Alexie was born on October 7, 1966, and grew up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Also, he was born with brain disease and at six months underwent a difficult operation. He learned to read by age three, and his first book was the graphic novel about Superman. Which kindled a lifelong love of reading in him. Wright was born in 1908 in Roxie, Mississippi, the heart of the segregated south. He
Suvas Mistry Elizabeth Pennington January 2nd, 2015 Sherman Alexie and the Modern Native in “War Dances” Sherman Alexie’s work is some of the most insightful and hard-hitting exploration of the modern Native American experience in literature today. In his book War Dances, Alexie seeks to navigate the various responsibilities and anxieties of white and Native culture and everything in between, trying to balance a sense of traditionalism and loyalty to his people with the creature comforts and advances
‘’The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me’’ is an autobiography by Sherman Alexie, a Native American writer, who explains his life as an Indian boy and how learning to read shaped his entire world. Alexie lived on an indian reservation, and was expected to remain uneducated like others surrounding him. In the text he states, “A smart Indian is a dangerous person, widely feared and ridiculed by Indians and non-Indians alike. I fought with my classmates on a daily basis. They wanted me to stay
regulated centuries before. Due to the history and factors such as socioeconomics, cultural, and genetics has influenced modern Native Americans to abuse alcohol even more which had a destructive impact on their culture. In his book Reservation Blues, Sherman Alexie a Native American himself describes the lives of Native Americans in Spokane reservation in Washington State. In the book, alcoholism is discussed and covered with deliberate details which haunt the reservation. So one of the reasons of such a
Combating Stereotypes For centuries stereotypes have plagued Native Americans often typecasting them as lazy, alcoholics, healers, savages, warriors, etc. Sherman Alexie uses humor, satire, and analogies in his writing, to combat stereotypes of Native Americans. Alexie uses these devices to help show the offence nature of stereotypes to his audience. Humor is used in many of his poems, and stories to help bring up serious issues, and also act as a coping mechanism for his characters. With all the
comparably more than other ethnic groups, and it has had a destructive effect on their society. In his fictional book Reservation Blues, Sherman Alexie, a Native American himself, describes the lives of Native Americans on a Spokane reservation in Washington State. In the book, alcoholism on this reservation is discussed in meticulous detail. For example, Alexie indicates that one of the reasons for such a high rate of alcohol abuse among the Spokane tribe members is the socioeconomics of the reservation
In Sherman Alexie's short story, Superman and Me, Alexie wants to create a new perspective of how people perceive Native Americans. Alexie starts his short story by explaining his love for reading. Alexie’s love for reading started because of his father’s love for books, Alexie even writes that he would buy his “books by the pound at Dutch’s Pawn Shop”. Since Alexie saw his father's love for reading, he picked up a comic book and saw that the images corresponded with the text and taught himself how
Reading” by Paulo Freire, “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me” by Sherman Alexie, and “All Writing is Autobiography” by Donald M. Murray. In Alexie’s article I’ve come up with questions while reading. “How did the author’s motivation and compassion for his peers help him guide his future?” and “Why did the author motivate his peers to read?” In “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me,” Sherman Alexie explains how he achieved
In Sherman Alexie’s writing there are many so called “controversial” topics, which includes many writings that he has been criticized for. But for other readers, Alexie does not deserve the criticism he receives or most of the criticism he receives due to what some of the critics are saying to be true in some ways. Throughout the book The Toughest Indian in the World, Alexie portrays Indians in a way that many readers don’t understand and may not agree with or like, this is why he is being criticized
In-Depth Study and Comparison: Sherman Alexie’s “Flight Pattern” and “Breaking and Entering” Sherman Alexie is very well known for his takes on Native Americans in modern American society. His books and stories most often are inside thoughts of situations that are occurring or have already occurred. Two of his shorter stories highlight two very different situations but in a sense connect with another. “Flight Plan” and “Breaking and Entering,” although confronting Native American characters, reveal