In Sherman Alexie’s story “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix‚ Arizona”‚ he explores the challenging life of two Native American Indian men named Victor and Thomas on the reservation. The story communicates the childhood memories‚ relationships‚ and cultural aspects of Thomas and Victor’s life in Spokane (an Indian Reservation). In this story‚ Victor appeared to be mentally depressed because his father had died just after he lost his job. Although Victor’s father left Victor at a very young age
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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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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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An 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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and alcohol and drug abuse. Starting at a very young age Alexie 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
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What does it mean? Although some people may not think too much of things as insignificant as names or symbols‚ there is always a reason an author puts them in a story. Sherman Alexi’s “This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix Arizona” is a great example of a story that is full of many different kinds of symbolism‚ ranging from animals to people‚ even the story’s title. Understanding of Alexi’s symbols in the story is crucial in understanding the meaning of the story as a whole. A symbol
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The character Victor from Sherman Alexie “This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix‚ Arizona‚” is going through trying to get his father’s remains with another character named Thomas. In this story ‘This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix Arizona” victor is very dedicated to getting his father’s ashes because he wants to have something to remember his father as. Victor is determined to get his father’s ashes and he want’s to be able to retrieve the ashes of his father. Its obvious in the story that Victor
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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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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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Conflict Within Thyself Jermaine Kelly ENG 102 072 Prof. 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
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