The Significance of Thomas-Builds-The-Fire
Sherman J. Alexie’s “This is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona” has multiple interconnecting themes and symbolic ideas throughout his story. Alexie’s story can be simplified as the death of a father changed his son’s life. However, it is more complex than that throughout the story. There are hidden connections all through Alexie’s work. One hidden connection is the character Thomas Builds-the-fire. Thomas is Victor’s childhood friend, and is the reservations goofball, storyteller. Thomas plays a much larger role in Victor’s life than just a childhood friend. Thomas Builds-The-Fire is Victor’s spirit guide and knows Victor’s life will change as along he visits Phoenix, Arizona to acquire is father’s …show more content…
While in the Trading Post Thomas said, “I heard it on the wind. I heard it from the birds. I felt it in the sunlight. Also, your mother was just here crying” (182). This quote appears as if it is just cute humor of the men’s shared heritage. However, it is also an indication that Thomas received a prophetic story. Here Alexie uses specific sentence structures and wording to provide a certain mystical image of how the wind, birds, and sunlight told Thomas of Victor’s father’s death. The statement Thomas said is true. However, the way Thomas states the statement makes it appear as though he cannot say it as a fact. This is why Thomas added the statement about Victor’s mother. It provides a sensible and logical explanation to the reader and to Victor of how Thomas knew of Victor’s father death. Since Thomas already knew of Victor’s Father’s death he offers to fund Victor’s trip to Phoenix. Thomas’s offer, however comes with one stipulation, he travels along. Thomas has to make sure Victor arrives in Arizona just as the wind, birds, and sunlight directed him. In addition to his prompt offer, Thomas made another unseemly unimportant move. As soon as Victor made his decision on rather or not to take Thomas offer, Thomas was on Victor’s front porch. This allows the readers to think that Thomas knew of Victor’s decision, as if a little birdie told Thomas of Victor's decision …show more content…
Thomas Builds-The-Fire is a literal and a symbolic indication of Thomas character throughout Alexie’s story. The word Phoenix, in Greek mythology represents a legendary bird that burns itself and rises from its ashes as a new bird. The Phoenix is a symbol of rebirth. Examining Thomas’s full name, Thomas Builds-The-Fire, it is apparent that Thomas is the fire that makes the transformation of Victor possible. Thomas is the fire that is to forge Victor, preparing and shaping him to accept is father's ashes. Meaning Victor has to go to Phoenix to be reborn. Thomas being Victor’s spirit guide must lead Victor to his father’s ashes because this is what his stories foretold. Just as a Phoenix the must reach the point in its life to burn and become reborn so must Victor. This is why Thomas must make sure Victor arrives in Arizona just as his stories told
Sherman J. Alexie’s “This is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona” has multiple interconnecting themes and symbolic ideas throughout his story. Alexie’s story can be simplified as the death of a father changed his son’s life. However, it is more complex than that throughout the story. There are hidden connections all through Alexie’s work. One hidden connection is the character Thomas Builds-the-fire. Thomas is Victor’s childhood friend, and is the reservations goofball, storyteller. Thomas plays a much larger role in Victor’s life than just a childhood friend. Thomas Builds-The-Fire is Victor’s spirit guide and knows Victor’s life will change as along he visits Phoenix, Arizona to acquire is father’s …show more content…
While in the Trading Post Thomas said, “I heard it on the wind. I heard it from the birds. I felt it in the sunlight. Also, your mother was just here crying” (182). This quote appears as if it is just cute humor of the men’s shared heritage. However, it is also an indication that Thomas received a prophetic story. Here Alexie uses specific sentence structures and wording to provide a certain mystical image of how the wind, birds, and sunlight told Thomas of Victor’s father’s death. The statement Thomas said is true. However, the way Thomas states the statement makes it appear as though he cannot say it as a fact. This is why Thomas added the statement about Victor’s mother. It provides a sensible and logical explanation to the reader and to Victor of how Thomas knew of Victor’s father death. Since Thomas already knew of Victor’s Father’s death he offers to fund Victor’s trip to Phoenix. Thomas’s offer, however comes with one stipulation, he travels along. Thomas has to make sure Victor arrives in Arizona just as the wind, birds, and sunlight directed him. In addition to his prompt offer, Thomas made another unseemly unimportant move. As soon as Victor made his decision on rather or not to take Thomas offer, Thomas was on Victor’s front porch. This allows the readers to think that Thomas knew of Victor’s decision, as if a little birdie told Thomas of Victor's decision …show more content…
Thomas Builds-The-Fire is a literal and a symbolic indication of Thomas character throughout Alexie’s story. The word Phoenix, in Greek mythology represents a legendary bird that burns itself and rises from its ashes as a new bird. The Phoenix is a symbol of rebirth. Examining Thomas’s full name, Thomas Builds-The-Fire, it is apparent that Thomas is the fire that makes the transformation of Victor possible. Thomas is the fire that is to forge Victor, preparing and shaping him to accept is father's ashes. Meaning Victor has to go to Phoenix to be reborn. Thomas being Victor’s spirit guide must lead Victor to his father’s ashes because this is what his stories foretold. Just as a Phoenix the must reach the point in its life to burn and become reborn so must Victor. This is why Thomas must make sure Victor arrives in Arizona just as his stories told