Smoke Signals
Smoke Signals
For most of my life, the word “Native American” had immediately made me think of feathers, powwows, and a society uncorrupted by civilization. However, in watching the movie Smoke Signals, a movie that depicts the modern Native American culture, I learned many other things. For one, I learned that many of the customs that modern Native Americans have are very similar to my others. I also saw that the family life of the Native Americans in the film had many of the same problems that my family had undergone in the past years such as fighting and not telling along. This film was unlike any that I have ever seen. The relationship between Victor and Thomas in the movie Smoke Signals is what gives the stories that Sherman Alexie weave they're meaning. As the story goes on so does the relationship from acquaintances, to veritable enemies, to close friends. This shifting in association gives the movie a very heartwarming effect. It showed that these young Indian boys overcame the obstacles that had separated them, and while doing this became close friends. In the opening scene we are exposed to how Thomas' family becomes indebted to Victor's. Victor’s father rescued Thomas from the burning building that killed his parents. We are not made aware of the fact that Victor's father had in fact started the fire as well. Leaving this detail unknown until the end of the movie allows everyone the chance to come to their own conclusions about Victor's father, before his personality is really showed by his neighbor. During the movie, Thomas tried to befriend Victor. The other children consider Thomas a "dork" and Victor did not speak to him very much. The scene after Victor's father left, where Victor beats Thomas into oblivion for making a rude remark about Victor's dad and the scene on the basketball court shows us this feeling of annoyance that Victor holds about Thomas. For unknown reasons, however, Thomas continued to try to befriend Victor. Thomas
For most of my life, the word “Native American” had immediately made me think of feathers, powwows, and a society uncorrupted by civilization. However, in watching the movie Smoke Signals, a movie that depicts the modern Native American culture, I learned many other things. For one, I learned that many of the customs that modern Native Americans have are very similar to my others. I also saw that the family life of the Native Americans in the film had many of the same problems that my family had undergone in the past years such as fighting and not telling along. This film was unlike any that I have ever seen. The relationship between Victor and Thomas in the movie Smoke Signals is what gives the stories that Sherman Alexie weave they're meaning. As the story goes on so does the relationship from acquaintances, to veritable enemies, to close friends. This shifting in association gives the movie a very heartwarming effect. It showed that these young Indian boys overcame the obstacles that had separated them, and while doing this became close friends. In the opening scene we are exposed to how Thomas' family becomes indebted to Victor's. Victor’s father rescued Thomas from the burning building that killed his parents. We are not made aware of the fact that Victor's father had in fact started the fire as well. Leaving this detail unknown until the end of the movie allows everyone the chance to come to their own conclusions about Victor's father, before his personality is really showed by his neighbor. During the movie, Thomas tried to befriend Victor. The other children consider Thomas a "dork" and Victor did not speak to him very much. The scene after Victor's father left, where Victor beats Thomas into oblivion for making a rude remark about Victor's dad and the scene on the basketball court shows us this feeling of annoyance that Victor holds about Thomas. For unknown reasons, however, Thomas continued to try to befriend Victor. Thomas