Bright lights, loud sounds of coins jingling in the bottom of a machine, dense smokey air covers the room like a thick ominous blanket. People in a trance are oblivious to the long haired, lightly colored red skinned man hobbling through the casino floor as he accidently bumps into a man dazed by the machine. “Watch where you’re going gas-huffer! yells the man. The red man does not reply just stumbles off into the fog. “Call an ambulance” someone in the fog yells, “This man needs help!” When the paramedic arrives he tries to speak to the red skinned man, “What’s the problem?” asked the paramedic, the red man whispers for him to come closer because his breath is escaping. He whispers something into the paramedic’s ear and the paramedic reaches in his bag and gives the red man some bizarre looking substance. “What did they gas-huffer say” the white man asked the paramedic? The paramedic replies “He is diabetic and needed insulin.” Sherman Alexie utilizes language, in a unique structure to convey an implied idea. To showcase stereotypes by arriving at a preconceived notion of an individual or group, based on their appearance or mannerisms.
Sherman Alexie uses language to decribe the struggles of being stereotyped. “He knew this dark skin and long, black hair of mine was dangerous.” (Sherman Alexie, acclaimed author, poet, filmaker.) This is a perfect example of stereotyping done out of fear of what someone else with the same description might have done to someone else somewhere else. Granted in this situation Alexie compunded the fact he knew he was being stereotyped and played into this role as a dangorus American Idian. When asked how he was doing he chooses to not ease the Seven-Eleven worker that he is not an inraged lunatic but replies with “Hot enough to make you go crazy” (Alexie). Letting the clerk know that he has not decided to rob him or harm him in