In the Story, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven and This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix, Arizona by Sherman Alexie is about the main character Victor how he encounter challenges about being Native American and poor. He has a companion named Thomas Builds a Fire with to accompany him on a trip to Phoenix Arizona to take his father and have him cremated. In the second story, Victor or the narrator talks more in depth about how it is being Native American in a foreign land. Also, describing how his relationship with Thomas in Journey has no effect on him.
In the short Story, This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix, Arizona by Sherman Alexie Victor is more of a serious person more likely to because of his father’s death. Thomas in the
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story seems more of a happy character, even though he has no friends with anybody in the Reservation. People disliked him because he told the same old stories. He feels conflicted at times when because wants to hear what he has to say. Both Victor and Thomas have had a good past up until Victor beat him up when he was drunk. However, in the movie he has never been drunk or ever had a drink of alcohol in his life and yet he is more aggressive in the film. Victor is not really a happy person in the story maybe due to his father's death, but he wasn’t aggressive towards Thomas. Sherman Alexie uses the situation of the two characters to identify the their characteristics and similarities and differences.
For example, Victor does have friends he hangs out with, but if they saw him with Thomas Builds-A-Fire they will make fun of him for it. In the story it says, “ Nobody talked to Thomas anymore because he told the same damn stories over and over again.” This is indicating that Thomas doesn't have any friends, this is difference between Victor and Thomas. However, they were rather close in the past which is something both share that is similar. The dialogue of the story also contains certains elements that represents each character. “Thomas was a storyteller that nobody wanted to listen to.” and Victor was man trying to find money to go to Phoenix Arizona and back to get his father ashes. The quote that was displayed means is the author trying to telling that nobody cares for Thomas even though he had a rough past with both of his parents dying. He had friends overtime, but they end up leaving him as …show more content…
well. The events that happen in the story distinguishes how on they are similar.
One obviously being, that Victor and Thomas are both Native Americans and have a similar goal getting to Phoenix Arizona. They both grew up together in the Reservation, but the story shows tells that Victors beat up Thomas at fifteen years old, in the movie he was twelve years old. It was similar but different age differences. Arnold, which is Victor’s father did have some good times with his son and Thomas. Back when Thomas went to Spokane to see vision Arnold was their to give him a lift back home and bought him Denny’s, this may be story regardless he did rescue thomas from the flaming building all those years ago. As for Victor, his father was abusive, but nonetheless, he did remember some good times he had with him in the story and in the movie. Both Victor and thomas had almost the same motivation to take the time and remember what Arnold did for
them. The differences between Victor and Thomas Builds-A-Fire are more easy to detect then similarities. Victor has a more dominant approach when it comes to task he needs to accomplish. For Victor he tries to play the nice guy and handles tasks in a more subtle or approach. One huge difference that sets them apart is there personality. Victor as a character can see through people, as in, he can understand what they really are like hiding under a façade. Doesn’t like being fooled or lied to. In the movie, He was talking to the gymnast about the olympics and how she never really participated unless someone was injured. He pointed that out told her to leave. In that same situation, Thomas didn’t care, he liked her because she was nice. This situations perfectly explains how they approach certain situations. However, they can come same conclusion at times. In the Story, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie. Victor is a little different and more aggressive in the story, but only when his girlfriend is in involved. He more caution in his surroundings when he enters in the 7-11 because people view him differently due to him being Native American. The movie he tells Thomas, “You know, Thomas, you really need to grow up. Don’t you know anything ? People are awful. They’ll rob you blind if you ain’t watching.” He is basically saying to not be fooled by other people. Maybe when he was at the 7-11 with the cashier he tried to portray himself as a person with dominance, so that nobody would fool him or maybe it can have been stereo-typical back in the days.
Literature is defined as written works, especially those considered of superior or lasting artistic merit. For a textbook definition, this suffices. However, literature is much more than that, it’s a form of expression. In Sherman Alexie’s The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven, we are able to see native communities in a different way than what we read about in articles or research papers. We’re given a different perspective on them which can help us understand these communities better. The first chapter, though it is early in the book, is able to support this idea.
Victor knew his father for twelve years of his life, but when he and Thomas travel to Arnold’s final home, Victor finds that he didn’t really know him at all. The film also touches on ideas of discrimination. Throughout the movie, Victor and Thomas were discriminated against many times, for example, when two white men stole their seats on the bus, telling them to “go back to their powwow.” Ideas of death and legacy also play a big part in Smoke Signals. The movie is centered around the death of Arnold, and Victor’s belief in the legacy that he left behind (whether he was an alcoholic who abused Victor, or a completely different man than Victor was willing to
This book report deal with the Native American culture and how a girl named Taylor got away from what was expected of her as a part of her rural town in Pittman, Kentucky. She struggles along the way with her old beat up car and gets as far west as she can. Along the way she take care of an abandoned child which she found in the backseat of her car and decides to take care of her. She end up in a town outside Tucson and soon makes friends which she will consider family in the end.
In the first scene of Smoke Signals there is a flash back to when Arnold Joseph, Victor's father saves infant Thomas and Victor from a raging house fire that kills both of Thomas's parents. The flash back shows the fire that encompasses Victor started very early in his life. Thomas states, "You know, there are some children who aren't really children at all. They're just pillars of fire that burn everything they touch." (Smoke Signals) This comment vividly describes who Victor is as a human. A few scenes later you once again see the movie flash back to when Victor and Thomas were around ten years old. Thomas is giving Victor a hard time about his father leaving which results in Victor threatening to beat Thomas up again. One can hear the anger spewing from Victor's mouth and the pain that lies beneath the
In both short nonfictional stories, “ The Uprooting of a Japanese- American Family” by Yoshiko Uchida and “The Way to Rainy Mountain” by N.Scott Momaday both authors have comparative and contrasting traits in their purpose of writing their own stories.
The imagery of fire continues in the story; the building of their fires, how the man molds the fires, and how they stoke the fire. When the boy gets sick the father is referred to many times of how he builds and rekindles the fire. This actual fire is a symbol for the fire that the man and the boy discuss carrying within in them. The man fights to save his son and the fire within the boy
In life, everyone experiences a time of hardship, and for the most part, those affected find methods of overcoming the adversity. The idea of getting through hardship is best reflected in; Sherman J. Alexie’s story “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona” (274). In the story, victor whose father had recently died from a heart attack has to travel to phoenix Arizona to reclaim his father’s ashes and his truck. Victor is joined by his former childhood friend “Thomas Builds-the-fire”, who finances the trip to phoenix since Victor did not have the means. They drove back truck from phoenix to the reservation. Throughout the trip, Thomas is always telling stories mostly reminiscing about their childhood. It is through Thomas stories that we learn much about Victor’s father. Through the use of symbolism, and character development, Alexie conveys the idea that, when someone is experiencing an adversity, reconnecting and embracing the past may lead to a discovery of a brighter future.
In “This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix, Arizona,” Alexie creates a story that captures the common stereotypes of Native Americans. For instance, in the story the narrator states, “Who does have money on a reservation, except the cigarette and fireworks salespeople?” (Alexie). This quotation shows that the narrator addresses the idea that all Native Americans must own businesses that sell fireworks and/ or cigarettes in order to be successful. In this example, Victor is shown to not identify with the Native Americans because he does not pursue the same job opportunities as many Native Americans do. Victor's character is used as a contrast to the stereotypes that , there he represents reality. Another instance in which the author incorporates a stereotype about Native Americans is when Thomas-Builds-the-Fire first makes conversation with Victor. Thomas-Builds-the-Fire informs Victor about the news of Victor's ...
Victor’s father left his family because according to Thomas, “when they were seven years old, when Victor’s father still lived with the family, Thomas closed his eyes and told Victor this story: your father’s heart is weak. He is afraid of his own family, he is afraid of you. Late at night he sits in the dark. Watches the television until there’s nothing but white noise. Sometimes he feels like he wants to buy a motorcycle and ride away. He wants to run and hide. He doesn’t want to be found” (512). When Victor’s father left, he never truly forgave him. Readers know that because of the details told at the beginning of the story and through the quote that was used in the second paragraph. Although he felt some resentment towards his father, he still felt obligated to bring him back to the reservation. That is where the theme of family comes into the story. Victor’s father died in his hot trailer and was not found for at least a week. Victor knew the trailer his father was staying had to have smelt ripe. But he did not care, as explained in the story, he says,“but there might be something valuable in there and I was talking about pictures and letters and stuff like that” (515). The trip that Victor made to Phoenix was a family journey. That long trip had taught Victor about himself and most importantly about his father. The grief that was bottled up inside was finally being put to rest now
With the different trips that Victor endures individually, it hints a sense of individuality as he seeks isolation from the world. He is also a very emotional man, who loves his family. As death of his family members occurs, he becomes emotionally unstable and seeks revenge against his creation. Ultimately trying to end the life he so vigorously wanted to create. This reflects both the passion and individualism theme from the Romantic
Alexie Sherman’s, “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven” displays the complications and occasional distress in the relationship between Native-American people and the United States. Despite being aboriginal inhabitants of America, even in present day United States there is still tension between the rest of the country, specifically mainstream white America, and the Native-American population. Several issues regarding the treatment of Native-Americans are major problems presently. Throughout the narrative, several important symbols are mentioned. The title itself represents the struggles between mainstream America and Native-Americans. The theme of racism, violence, and prejudice is apparent throughout the story. Although the author
...ent efforts, or men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air” (23). Here, The Valley of Ashes is regarded as complete destitution and hopelessness. The people known as the lower class do not wish to live in the valley of ashes. This is why people, like Myrtle try to do anything to get away from it but instead it becomes unachievable for them. When Myrtle tried to escape from the ashes by trying to be with a rich man like Tom, she dies. This embellishes how The American dream is unattainable. When Tom goes and sees George, you can see how the higher classes look down on the lower classes because of their different social positions. The higher-class people such as, Tom, Daisy, and Jordan represent the unstructured bodies of ashes within the valley. They are inconsiderate and conceited people arising from the dead ashes, changing the American Dream.
I thought about telling him to bit my ass. I thought about making him apologize. But I couldn’t. He was never going to change. Let’s go, I said.” (p228) Junior was never really mad at Rowdy; even though Rowdy was the one who gave Junior a concussing during the basketball game. During the movie, Victor was annoyed and angry with Thomas for the entire trip to Victor’s dad. But towards the end of the movie, Victor came to the realization that Thomas is a great friend who had helped Victor to get to his dad, and is someone he is very close to. Victor was nicer and happy with Thomas; he even gave Thomas some of his dad’s ashes. This shows that Victor has mature and has forgiven Thomas for how he acted during the trip. Friendship and forgiveness are the two themes that I think are important from the book and the movie. We saw how Victor forgave Thomas for being annoying and appreciate Thomas’s friendship more. And how Victor has forgiven his dad’s mistakes after his dad passed away. In the book, we saw how Junior forgives his dad’s alcoholic problem and how his dad was not the best dad, but Junior learned to forgive anyways. He also sees how Junior forgives Rowdy for how cold Rowdy was acting towards Junior and
Many intriguing characters in literature are devised from the apprehension minorities have encountered with society in the pursuit of the American Dream. Oppressed by racism and societal pressures, the protagonists of our two stories attempt to gain realistic perspective as their desires to defy stereotypes are perpetuated and they struggle to break limits and overcome invisible constraints set by their respective races. This has been well presented in “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven” penned by Sherman Alexie who blatantly exposes the assumed societal roles of Native American Indians throughout history and “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin who highlights a black man’s plight in the slums of Harlem. This is not only painted through
Thesis: In, This is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona, Victor's father's death leads to the many stories about their childhood that makes them reconsider their friendship.