The meaning of life has been pondered for centuries, but perhaps a better question to think about would be “How am I going to get through this?” Sherman Alexie is a Native American author who has received honors and awards for his writing. Sherman Alexie integrates his Native American ethnicity to portray his life experiences through his writing. In his short stories “Superman and Me”, This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona, and The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven Sherman Alexie depicts the struggles of the common Native American. To begin with “Superman and Me” is short story that introduces the reader to the life of Sherman and his struggles. Sherman grew up on the Spokane Indian reservation in northern Washington. Living
…show more content…
Narration starts from the point of view the store clerk to show he has been robbed prior to the Native American main character walking in to the store. “He knew this dark skin, and long, black hair of mine was dangerous” Sherman tries to identify his culture with his description that can easily be switched for another race. Using narration the reader gets to explore the mind of the characters and connect to their feelings and see that they are human as well; not just another stereotype. The store clerk’s reaction to the narrator’s entrance is appropriate due to the stereotype of Indians being warriors or renegades and their war with whites. The narrator then goes to talk to about his relationship with his white girlfriend and how they are having relationship issues. “I don’t trust you,” “You get too angry.” His girlfriend would say to him. She was referring to the violent way the narrator argued “I broke lamps.”(Alexie, 293) the narrator describes his actions during the fights. His girlfriend also combats that the narrator is “Drunk all the time and stupid” another stereotype of Indians is that they are drunks. Sherman obtained a drinking problem after attending two years of collage at Gonzaga University that effected his work, school and relationships. During the time he was drinking he wrote two stories and one of them was “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven”. He also had a girlfriend during collage that when to Washington State University and decided to transfer over to be with her. The narrator continues to describe that there relationship is a warzone and he faced her with “war paint and sharp arrows”. He also has a dream about him been a minor war chiefs and his girlfriend was the wife of a missionary and were caught together and it started a big war between the Indians and whites. He dies and as his
Narration starts from the point of view the store clerk to show he has been robbed prior to the Native American main character walking in to the store. “He knew this dark skin, and long, black hair of mine was dangerous” Sherman tries to identify his culture with his description that can easily be switched for another race. Using narration the reader gets to explore the mind of the characters and connect to their feelings and see that they are human as well; not just another stereotype. The store clerk’s reaction to the narrator’s entrance is appropriate due to the stereotype of Indians being warriors or renegades and their war with whites. The narrator then goes to talk to about his relationship with his white girlfriend and how they are having relationship issues. “I don’t trust you,” “You get too angry.” His girlfriend would say to him. She was referring to the violent way the narrator argued “I broke lamps.”(Alexie, 293) the narrator describes his actions during the fights. His girlfriend also combats that the narrator is “Drunk all the time and stupid” another stereotype of Indians is that they are drunks. Sherman obtained a drinking problem after attending two years of collage at Gonzaga University that effected his work, school and relationships. During the time he was drinking he wrote two stories and one of them was “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven”. He also had a girlfriend during collage that when to Washington State University and decided to transfer over to be with her. The narrator continues to describe that there relationship is a warzone and he faced her with “war paint and sharp arrows”. He also has a dream about him been a minor war chiefs and his girlfriend was the wife of a missionary and were caught together and it started a big war between the Indians and whites. He dies and as his