Anh Phan Professor Frank English 112 September 28‚ 2012 “That Is What It Means to Say Phoenix‚ Arizona” In short story Sherman Alexie. “That is what it means to say Phoenix‚ Arizona‚ he creates three main characters‚ Victor‚ Victor’s father‚ and Thomas who have three different personalities. However‚ Thomas seems one of the most interesting characters in this short story. The author presents Thomas as a person who has not been affected negative by the hardship and struggles of modern day Native
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Angela Smith Mrs. Black Engl. 1102 January 31 2014 Plot “This is what it means to say Phoenix‚Arizona” “This is what it means to say Phoenix‚ Arizona” by Sherman Alexie is about the life struggles of two American Indians named Victor and Thomas Builds-the-Fire. Victor‚the protagonist‚ has not only lost his job but his father as well. With the aid of Thomas he will travel to collect his father’s remains and estate. This story is neatly structured in a standard plot line format‚ built around
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had overcome many obstacles as does his characters in his stories. In the short story‚ “This is What It Means to Say Phoenix‚ Arizona‚” the author Sherman Alexie shows the struggles of Native Americans in a white man’s world. To help us better understand these struggles‚ this paper will analyze the characters‚ theme and setting of this story. The characters of a story is what holds the audiences’ attention. It’s important a storyteller introduce characters in a way that allows an audience the time
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What Does It Mean To Say Phoenix‚Arizona. For Victor to say Phoenix‚ Arizona can draw a lot of emotion. His father had passed away from a heart attack and wasn’t found until a week later. He hadn’t seen his father for many years. The only communication was by phone maybe once or twice. On top of that‚ Victor had lost his job at the BIA. He was not financially stable to go to Phoenix to pick up his dad so he contacted the Tribal Affairs. The council was only allowed to provide him with a
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enthralling short story by Sherman Alexie‚ "This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix‚ Arizona" is rich in symbolism. Much of its appeal lies in its enigmatic usage of symbols. Sherman’s tale of death and renewal relies on three key symbols: the Phoenix (a type of mythical bird which is found in the title)‚ the number seven‚ and in the name of the protagonist’s story-telling friend‚ Thomas Builds-the-Fire. First‚ the title contains a reference to the phoenix‚ a mythical bird that‚ according to Native
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Setting Essay In Sherman Alexie’s “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix‚ Arizona”‚ a young man named Victor finds out that his father has passed‚ but can’t afford to travel from Spokane to Phoenix‚ especially after the fact that he had just lost his job at the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The first setting in Spokane describes what Victor and other Indians go through on the reserve‚ this cultural aspect is actually interesting because nobody knows what others go through and how tough their lives
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themes in “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix‚ Arizona” by Sherman Alexie‚ but the most salient theme is the acceptance of the current problems. In this story‚ Victor has a much pain because of his father’s death; however‚ he tries to go to Phoenix to bring his father’s ashes back home. Due to this scene‚ we can see how Victor can overcome grief and accept the fact that his father had passed away. Unfortunately‚ Victor‚ a strong man‚ does not have enough money to go to Phoenix. To oppose this problem
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Messina Essay 1 October 2nd‚ 2007. 1 Sherman Alexie’s story‚ "This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix‚ Arizona"‚ states mainly how two Native Americans struggle to adapt to modern times and their culture‚ and the conflict they endured within their lifetime. The story focuses on two main characters that embark on a cross-country journey to retrieve a dead father’s ashes and belongings. Victor‚ one of the main characters in the story‚ must come to terms with his personal conflicts when he finds
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Tribal Ties Sherman Alexies short story “This is what it means to say Phoenix‚ Arizona” tells a story about Victor‚ a broken‚ lonely young Indian man‚ who is shaped by the circumstances of the reservation. He not only finds out that he lost his job but also that his father has passed away due to a heart attack. These series of unfortunate events lead Victor his childhood friend Thomas Build-the-Fire to embark on a journey to Arizona to obtain Victor’s father’s ashes. Although the two former friends
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Otherness in a nutshell is a feeling like one does not fit in for any number of reasons. Race‚ gender‚ sexuality‚ religion and appearance are just a few of the reasons. This is felt throughout life from childhood to adulthood. When you are in school it may be something as silly as your brand of shoes‚ you may not have the cool ones because your parents cannot afford them‚ so you get made fun of. Then here you are as an adult and it may be the car you drive or neighborhood you live in that
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