Remember that Disney movie that we used to watch when we were young? When Pocahontas and John Smith would eventually snuggle up with bright colors and live happily ever after? Reality tells a different story and Sherman Alexie’s novel perfectly describes that juxtaposition. As life upon Indian reservations are depicted to be unfavorable and impoverished, Alexie is able to artfully articulate the discrimination of his people through various shifts of mood. His manipulation of mood is largely evident through the third person perspectives of Victor, his father, and the Indian reservation community.
Victor’s narrative in “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven” depicts the impoverished mood to develop the perspective of a teenager. Alexie …show more content…
As Indians struggle with day to day life, they resort to violence to release their frustration. Key diction, and internal dialogue, are thus able to inspire a chaotic and dilapidated view of the Indians. Victor’s analysis of the “fistfight... guttural noises.” between Adolph and Arnold, allowed the audience to observe their first glances of the Indian community. These observations paired up with diction such as “fuck” allowed the reader to realize the vulgarity the Indians use to alleviate their tensions. This is significant because it shows the value of violence as a common coping mechanism from their “witness” mentality. As Victor starts to describe the “slugging forces” of his uncles, he describes the interaction with uncles “had to be in love.” This dialogue served as a way for the author to reference Victor’s views of the community, illustrating his falsified dichotomy in believing love as an equivalent to violence. The desensitization is thus proved to be a major theme within these communities, and paradoxically the community seemed not to be disaffected by it. The mood is skillfully shifted in the narrative through the vulgarity and the barbaric actions of Victor’s uncles, and allows this uncomfortable mood to be revealed to the readers . The different pieces of information that are exposed, allows for readers to discover the little
Victor’s narrative in “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven” depicts the impoverished mood to develop the perspective of a teenager. Alexie …show more content…
As Indians struggle with day to day life, they resort to violence to release their frustration. Key diction, and internal dialogue, are thus able to inspire a chaotic and dilapidated view of the Indians. Victor’s analysis of the “fistfight... guttural noises.” between Adolph and Arnold, allowed the audience to observe their first glances of the Indian community. These observations paired up with diction such as “fuck” allowed the reader to realize the vulgarity the Indians use to alleviate their tensions. This is significant because it shows the value of violence as a common coping mechanism from their “witness” mentality. As Victor starts to describe the “slugging forces” of his uncles, he describes the interaction with uncles “had to be in love.” This dialogue served as a way for the author to reference Victor’s views of the community, illustrating his falsified dichotomy in believing love as an equivalent to violence. The desensitization is thus proved to be a major theme within these communities, and paradoxically the community seemed not to be disaffected by it. The mood is skillfully shifted in the narrative through the vulgarity and the barbaric actions of Victor’s uncles, and allows this uncomfortable mood to be revealed to the readers . The different pieces of information that are exposed, allows for readers to discover the little