...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...
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...the most notable points to note in Alexie Sherman’s The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven is its portrayal of life among the Native Americans. The book, in the form of interconnected short stories details mostly the experiences of ‘Thomas builds the fire’ and Victor Joseph. The experiences of the two notable characters has been based on the people they relate with such as their family members and the people they interact with at the Spokane reservation. The book has presented Native Americans in different ways that at times come out negatively and in stereotypical fashion. The experiences of Native Americans in Sherman’s The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven can be seen mostly through what Victor goes through as he struggles...
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...The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven is a novel written by Sherman Alexie. The novel consists of short stories about Native Americans' lives. Sherman Alexie uses symbolism throughout the novel. In The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, women--including Victor's mother, the aunt in "The Fun House," and Norma Many Horses--are symbols of strength. In the novel The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, Victor's mother is one of the women who symbolizes strength. In the chapter "Jimi Hendrix," when Victor's father wrecked his bike, he was in the hospital for two months, and Victor's mother visited him every day until he recovered although she and Victor's father were split up. The narrator, Victor, states that "even though my mother didn't want to be married to him anymore and...
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...In the collection of short stories "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist fight in Heaven" Sherman Alexie writes about the importance of songs and stories in the lives of the people on the reservation through drug induced visions, the character of Thomas Builds-A-Fire, Jimi Hendrix's music, and basketball players on the reservation. In the short story a drug called tradition the main character, Victor, and his two friends Thomas Builds-a-Fire and Junior take drugs that give them visions of themselves in strange historical Indian settings. The stories they tell of these visions relate to Indian culture and tradition. Junior has a vision of Thomas performing a dance around a campfire that brings back all the dead Indians. Victor has a vision of Junior singing. Both visions include real things from history, end with the idea of the Indians winning and/or driving out the white people, and use music or dance to show this. This shows their...
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...In society today children often watch, mirror, and act like their parents. In the collection of short stories entitled The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, Sherman Alexie creates an image of a boy who has the same hopes and beliefs of his parents. Victor, the main character, has a hopeless attitude and a pessimistic outlook on life. These characteristics cannot be more attributed to his own personal decisions rather than any reasons beyond his control. When Victor is younger, he witnesses his parents enter and struggle with the alcoholic cycle of Indians. When Victor’s parents throw a New Years’ Eve party, it gets out of control and alcohol runs rampant. “He kissed his mother’s neck, tasted the salt and whiskey. He kissed his father’s...
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...Symbolism in The Lone ranger Sherman Alexie uses figurative language in TLRATFIH to show the conflict between Native American culture and the culture of American society. This effectively provides us a glimpse into the Native American experience. One example of figurative language used throughout the story is symbolism. As the story progressed symbolism was incorporated into the text more giving it a double meaning, which helps the reader to better understand the purpose. In the story, the author uses symbolism in a way to foreshadow the future. One example of this is when Victor and Adrian saw Julius. They were speaking about how he is a great basketball player. They also spoke about how every past “reservation hero” ended up becoming an alcoholic. At the end of the chapter julius’s future is foreshadowed when Adrian throws the cup. In the book it states, “while the sun rose straight up above us and settled down behind the house, watched that cup revolve, revolve, until it came down whole to the ground.” (Alexie 53) This quote foreshadows victor’s life as a basketball star, when the cup is revolving and begins to slow down it symbolizes his career being sidetracked by alcohol. Another example of foreshadowing with symbolism in the book is when the author writes about Arnold’s drinking. In the book it says “ Victor watched his father take a drink of vodka on a completely empty stomach...Maybe it was like Hiroshima or Nagasaki...During those long drinks, Victor's father...
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...Eric Brennan 11/16/14 American Lit. First draft In “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven” by Sherman Alexi. The theme of cultural identity is important to the story because it shows the truths about the Native Americans in America, and can be seen through celebration, appearances and Tradition/spirituality. In the story almost all throughout the book you can find things that fall under cultural identity and effects on many characters. “There is something beautiful about an Indian boy with hair so black it collects the sunlight. His braids grow hot to the touch and his skin chimes with reservation sweat. He is skinny and doesn’t know how to spit.” (Alexi 146). The cultural identity in “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven” is showing the beauties of a Native Americans. Instead of the stereotypical Native American being just a complete ugly, not sanitary person there actually beautiful and not just dirt and not worthy. Through the story cultural identity is shown and the consistency of a Indian being named after their father is bad, but is a good thing. It was the fourth of July and Victor and Thomas were riding bikes around and it was so dark you couldn’t see their faces. “Which Junior? Everybody on this Reservation is named Junior” pg 63 (Alexie 63). In many cultures people name their child after the name of their selves. They all don’t look alike just because of their long black hair. I don’t think it’s just Native Americans that have junior as there...
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...“The Fun House” vs “All I Wanted to Do as Dance” “The Fun House” and “All I Wanted to Do Was Dance” are stories written by Sherman Alexie in his book The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. “The Fun House” is centered on Nezzy, the aunt of the narrator. Throughout the story, she struggles with the lack of gratitude she receives from her husband and son which leads to an anger that drives her desperately to change her life. However, In “All I wanted to do was dance” the story is focused on Victor, who is the narrator of “The Fun House”. The story goes through Victor’s love life where he suffers from a broken heart. The pain started to prevent him from moving forward in life. He tries to compensate his pain by getting drunk and dancing. Both of these stories depict the protagonists’ love relationships and the pain they carry. However, in “The Fun House” aunt Nezzy strives to change her life, while Victor, the protagonist of “All I Wanted to Do Was Dance” is trapped in depression. Both stories illustrate the symbols of pain that the protagonists carry throughout the story. “The funhouse” begins with the narrator stating that his aunt Nezzy sewed a beaded dress that was too heavy for anyone to wear (76). The weight of the beaded dress is a symbol of burden she carries for the family. Aunt Nezzy has to put food on the table for her husband and son, while her thirty year old son still needs a job. This put an extra weight on aunt Nezzy's shoulder. Nezzy mentioned, “When a...
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...include many different studies upon the world, in its most general description it is a complete study of human ideas and expressions with emphasis on both developing techniques and skills for studying art, as well as learning about actual artistic creations. Stanley Fish whom argued that Humanities is merely not a tool but a whole category of its own that is taught is most likely hitting the nail on the head. Intriguingly enough, Humanities is useful in its own way of studies of our interpretations through art, music and other categories of historic pieces. For example, throughout the world people may look at a piece and start interpreting it, while referring to its historic features such as the work of Yun Gee’s painting, the Lone Ranger. The lone Ranger is a painting in which has a historic value which refers to the time period where Chinese were migrating towards the U.S. during the time of the gold rush. They were merely looked down upon as workers because of how they looked and acted. Through the use of humanities people may look at this painting and come up with ideas, “Why did Yun Gee decide to paint this man the way that he did?” “What was the reason for the color in the background and the setting that it has taken place in?” Through its historical value people may use humanities to discover what the painter was thinking at that time period and why he had painted it the way he had. Stanley Fish argued that “Justification, after all, confers value on an activity from a perspective...
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...Shaquisha Barrow September 26, 2012 Journal #10: The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven Intro to Lit 1. I got very confused when I was searching for the original “Lone Ranger and Tonto” because I saw different versions of it and I wasn’t sure which was which. I did however, find the definition of “Tonto”, which means silly or dumb and “Ke-mo sah-bee which means trusty scout. I believe that the narrator was Tonto in society’s eyes. The narrator couldn’t even go into a certain part of town without people calling the police because he looks “suspicious”, or walk in a store to get a few snacks without people being scared of him. I believe that heaven represents America and the “American dream” which, to me, is to have freedom, happiness, and wealth. The narrator along with the other Native Americans on the reservation, symbolizes Tonto, he trusts his girlfriend (The Lone Ranger), to help him better himself and reach the American dream but instead she, along with help from others, knock him down and stop him from reaching his dream. The woman that he loved was supposed to be there to help him and encourage him but instead they always clashed and argued. The narrator said that they never physically fought, but she always knew what to say to hurt him. Based on my experiences, most of the people we attach ourselves to, know how to hurt us the most. I think that society as a whole was a symbol of the Lone Ranger. The narrator just wanted to live his life like a regular American...
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...About The Lone Ranger The story of the Lone Ranger began in 1933 with the first radio broadcast of what would become a highly popular radio show that later expanded into movies and television. The story of the Lone Ranger follows a Texas Ranger who is the lone survivor when a band of outlaws kills all the other Texas Rangers he is riding with. Found barely alive after the brutal killings by a childhood friend, an American Indian named Tonto, the Texas Ranger (who is now the lone surviving Ranger from his group) is brought back to health by his friend and soon tames a wild stallion he names Silver. Together with Tonto and his trusty horse Scout, the Lone Ranger and Silver travel across the American West to help the helpless and right injustices. Preferring to stay anonymous, the Lone Ranger wore a mask over his eyes, causing many of the people he had helped to say, "Who was that masked man?" While numerous actors portrayed the Lone Ranger and Tonto on the radio, in movies, and on television, the two actors most closely associated with the roles are Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels, respectively. The Lone Ranger's Creed By Fran Striker 1. I believe that to have a friend, a man must be one. 2. That all men are created equal and that everyone has within himself the power to make this a better world. 3. That God put the firewood there, but that every man must gather and light it himself. 4. In being prepared physically, mentally, and morally to fight when necessary for that...
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...“The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven” by Sherman Alexie and “Separation Anxiety” by Evie Shockley discuss the complications of identity while living in worlds of different cultures. Victor is the main character of “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven” and he has an identity crisis throughout the story since he lives in the city but is from the Indian reservation. He identifies not only as a Native American, but he lives in a community surrounded by mostly Caucasian people which makes him feel out of place. He feels that he does not belong in the reservation and also does not belong in the big city. The narrator, Peaches, in “Separation Anxiety” identifies herself as an African American and lives in a community where everyone...
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...“We barely pause as we kill all of them, with bullet and fist and saber and boot” (Flight 89, 90). Sherman Alexie is an American novelist, filmmaker, short story writer, and poet. He uses his personal experiences as a Native American to write raw and unvarnished texts that bring forth complicated emotions. You can see an example of Alexie’s unique writing style in the quote above where he boldly states the way violence takes place in his story. As a writer, Alexie targets young adults and teens who may be struggling in their younger years just as he has. Throughout his life, even as a young boy, Alexie had been dealing with struggles and problems in his life. At six months old, Alexie underwent a brain surgery which had a high risk of death or mental disability if he survived (The Black-Eye-of-the-Month-Club 1). Although he survived, he needed to deal with harsh side effects. Both of his parents were alcoholics and he was abused and teased by both his classmates and his white teachers (Indian Education 1, 2). Because of these harsh experiences, Alexie writes about the unpleasant truths that young teens should know about the world that we live in today. His raw and straightforward writing style, attract readers to his books because of its original and authentic texts about Native Americans. Alexie uses syntax and conflict to induce teens to take action against the growing problem of racial discrimination against Native Americans in the United States. Sherman Alexie...
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...Alcohol Rough Draft “When I write about the destructive effects of alcohol on Indians I'm not reinforcing stereotypes, I'm writing autobiography.” Sherman Alexie. In The Lone Ranger and Tonto FistFight in Heaven, Sherman Alexie, examines the destructive effects alcohol has on the Spokane people. In his book, alcohol affects all Natives either personally or through their relationships with individuals struggling with alcohol. Many characters in the book are touched by alcohol because of destroyed families, ruins careers and some people stop drinking alcohol because they saw what it did to friends, family and to themselves. In the book many family members of people are missing, mostly because of alcohol. One of the biggest person missing in the book is Victor's father. Victor's father left when Victor was a kid because his mother said to stop drinking alcohol. Victor's father wanted alcohol and his family but he chose alcohol and he left his family for good. Victor too followed his father's footsteps but didn't leave his adopted son completely. He was off to the bar so much it felt like he was gone for...
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..."I was born with water on the brain." Have you ever heard of Hydrocephalus? . I'm going to be reviewing a book by Sherman Alexie called “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian”. The sidesplitting narrator of The Absolutely True Diary is a fourteen-year-old Native kid named Arnold Spirit, Jr., and Arnold is funny, sensitive, and a budding artist. Arnold, though, is not only a teenage Indian going through the entire usual coming of age stuff. Arnold is also a hydrocephalic with a stutter and a lisp that is picked on ruthlessly. He's the reservation outcast, and he's been beaten to a flesh more times than is probably healthy. Arnold makes a choice to leave the reservation and attend the prosperous white school twenty-two miles away in Reardan. Branded a traitor, Arnold then gets caught between two worlds: his home on the reservation and the white kids' high school he attends. Feeling as though he fits in no where, Arnold is forced to create a new kind of identity for himself... as if being fourteen years old wasn't hard enough. We see how the reservation is a place of great beauty, but also a very destructive environment blighted with poverty, alcoholism, abuse, and senseless death. To me, this book has an amazing plot and i would really propose you read this book. Some of the strengths in the book are that firstly; that the book covers not only what happens in Junior’s life in a day-to-day basis, but the struggles in his life as a 14 year old and a hydrocephalic. And...
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