Not exactly sure how to write this post. But I will start with how I really liked the book. Not sure how true it is, but I suppose someone with that level of poverty, who is willing to work his way out of it, could be anywhere on the planet (not only reservation). I do have to say the humor Sherman Alexie added to the book is what kept me reading. He made it interesting instead of it being just another sad story where some kid has a ton of issues to deal with.
One quote in this book that I think strongly represents the struggles Native Americans have had to face is: "'That's how we were taught to teach you. We were supposed to kill the Indian to save the child. 'You killed Indians?' 'No, no, it's just a saying. Ididn't literally kill Indians. We were supposzed to make you give up being Indian. Your songs and stories and language and dancing. Everything. We weren't trying to kill Indian people. We were trying to kill Indian culture'" (Alexie 35). To me this represents the hardships they had to face and overcome. It also tells how they were looked down upon and discriminated against just because they were not white.
Hey Calli,
ReplyDeleteThere are universal aspects to this work, as well as very specific ones too.
Knowing how little Native American Studies are taught in most schools, I think there are still efforts to kill Native cultures, it is just most dominant culture/white people now just do this through indifference. I'm not sure if that makes sense, I am trying to say instead of murdering people outright, forcing them into boarding schools and so forth- our current method is just letting the "Myth of the Vanishing Race" keep growing, which means we don't pay attention the way we continue to affect Native communities.
I'm glad you enjoyed the book, Alexie does manage to keep you hooked one way or another. He is a great writer and storyteller. I've seen him speak a few times and he is always powerful and entertaining.
I agree. I think Alexie's take on this very serious issue of poverty, alcoholism, poor education, etc. was very well done and the humor throughout the novel really made the book exceptional.
ReplyDeleteAnd the quote that you used, when the teacher said "we were trying to kill Indian culture", made me think of how the present day American's really do not want the Native Americans to embrace their culture. For example, I am doing my research paper on Native American whaling and I see how society is so against that cultural aspect of Natives. It is really disappointing regarding the present day Americans.