Analysis Of Evolution By Sherman Alexie

The indigenous people of the United States of America endured the utmost traumatic historical events. Hundreds of massacres orchestrated by the European man killed the Native Americans. Deception was key in the atrocities, the white man would promise “peace” and then brutally murder the Natives. The genocide continues today as alcohol, introduced to the Natives by the Colonists, ravages through the reservations. Sherman Alexie, author of “Evolution”, does not shy away from any of these tough subjects as a Native American man. Alcoholism plagued him and his parents while growing up on the Spokane Reservation in Washington. Alexie’s poem addresses matters of historical abuse to the Native Americans and current day issues in the reservation through …show more content…
The protagonist's symbolism plays a larger role as the poem progresses, but Alexie’s name choice is extremely significant because Buffalo “whitewashed” the history of the Native Americans. Calling Buffalo Bill a hero for hunting buffalo, fighting wars and riding horses while the Natives were in held in reservations not being credited for the same. Buffalo Bill’s pawn shop sees much success due to its location and the Native Americans start to pawn everything to get liquor …show more content…
The European trade and introduced a large quantity of schools which the Native American had no time to develop social, legal and moral guidelines for alcohol consumption. Records have appeared depicting traders and colonial citizens using free alcohol to provide an advantage in trade negotiations (Beauvais). Alcohol was used as a weapon to steal the land of the native people but the lasting effects of alcoholism is dangerous. Alcoholism is an addiction to the consumption of alcoholic liquor or the mental illness and compulsive behavior resulting from alcohol dependency. Native Americans have some of the highest rates of alcohol abuse with many contributing factors like, economic disadvantage, cultural loss, mental and physical health problems and history of abuse. Poor education, poverty, and limited resources correlate to greater use of alcohol. In term of cultural loss, the traumatic atrocities, lost land, family and countless abuse, led to the negative coping method of alcohol abuse. Native Americans additionally have high rates of physical health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity, liver disease, hepatitis and stroke, chronic illnesses can lead to a significant amount of stress increasing alcohol abuse risks. Mentally, Native American teens are 2.5 times more at risk than national average of suicide.