Fistfight In Heaven
“Nobody can give everything away. It ain’t healthy,” (Alexie 33). Sherman Alexie’s book of short stories, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, focuses on the life of Native Americans on the Spokane Reservation, specifically focusing on Victor, the main character. In the collection of stories, Victor learns about the damage caused by letting anyone other than himself control his life. Victor has always wanted to become a warrior. “You know, my generation of Indian boys ain’t ever had no real war to fight,” (28) says Victor. His obsession with becoming a warrior might derive from an underlying desire for the Native American traditions of the past. Victor longs for a world in which he need not conform to the standards of the white
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Victor almost seems to admire Thomas, because Thomas doesn’t care what other people think about him. Although Victor wants to escape from the standards of the white people, he still conforms to their culture because he is afraid of ridicule. However, Thomas doesn’t let other peoples’ opinions affect him, and Victor is jealous of his nonchalant attitude towards other people. “Everyone has dreams about flying. Thomas flew,” (70). Thomas has confidence in himself, which is something that most everyone else in the reservation seems to lack. When Victor sees Thomas’s confidence, he begins avoiding Thomas, perhaps because of jealousy, or possibly because he is afraid of what other people might think about Victor if they see him with Thomas. When Thomas and Victor are returning to Spokane Reservation in “This is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona,” Thomas says, “I know you aren’t going to treat me any differently than before. Your friends would give me too much shit about it,” (74). Victor is too caught up in the modern world to possibly understand the importance of Thomas’s stories, and Thomas understands Victor’s limitations. However, at the end of “This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona,” Victor agrees to listen to one of Thomas’s stories just once. This symbolizes Victor’s step backwards towards the traditions and stories of Native Americans in the
Victor almost seems to admire Thomas, because Thomas doesn’t care what other people think about him. Although Victor wants to escape from the standards of the white people, he still conforms to their culture because he is afraid of ridicule. However, Thomas doesn’t let other peoples’ opinions affect him, and Victor is jealous of his nonchalant attitude towards other people. “Everyone has dreams about flying. Thomas flew,” (70). Thomas has confidence in himself, which is something that most everyone else in the reservation seems to lack. When Victor sees Thomas’s confidence, he begins avoiding Thomas, perhaps because of jealousy, or possibly because he is afraid of what other people might think about Victor if they see him with Thomas. When Thomas and Victor are returning to Spokane Reservation in “This is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona,” Thomas says, “I know you aren’t going to treat me any differently than before. Your friends would give me too much shit about it,” (74). Victor is too caught up in the modern world to possibly understand the importance of Thomas’s stories, and Thomas understands Victor’s limitations. However, at the end of “This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona,” Victor agrees to listen to one of Thomas’s stories just once. This symbolizes Victor’s step backwards towards the traditions and stories of Native Americans in the