I don't think he was trying to stereotype the Native Americans, I think he was just trying to tell the story of their hardships and a darker side of life.
actually, this is what my paper was on. i think he does it partly to address the traditional problems on a reservation. i think that when life gets harder, people tend to fall into a bad pattern and Alexie was just showing the hardships that his people faced everday.
i think that when the characters were affected by alcohol it was a very stereotypical way of describing a drunk person. for example they would describe like victors father passing out and all that stuff, which that is what you always think of when you think of a drunk person
Wow, Parker, do you honestly think that people can't see each other? Will we never achieve the understanding and compassion that we all strive for? Your statement ("most people will never accept Indians as more than their stereotypes, so he makes the best of it") really bothers me. It makes me feel like the world is bleak, but then I remember that I totally disagree with you. This attitude is the same one that American women faced, that African-Americans faced, that Catholics faced, that homosexuals still face, that every marginalized group faces, but educated, caring people who see the fallacy of stereotypes refuse to bow to them.
Sherman Alexie presents us with characters who fight stereotypes, who don't want to be "the drunken Indian," who strive for humanity, who love each other in small ways, but in ways that matter, and who teach us that, although life is terribly hard sometimes, you can still live with dignity.
for clarification of my post...i don't think that everyone in this world is narrow-minded, ignorant, and racist. i am saying that personally i think it is safe to assume that a significant portion of people in this country will always feel that way. i'm not saying i agree with them, and i'm not saying that's a good thing by any means. i think it is a very good thing how alexie uses these negative stereotypes and gives the people in his series of vignettes dignity and passion for their life despite their being judged negatively by the outside world, represented by the white people.
I don't think he was trying to stereotype the Native Americans, I think he was just trying to tell the story of their hardships and a darker side of life.
ReplyDeleteHe might be trying to envoke sympathy for Native Americans.
ReplyDeletei dont think its stereotyping, i think indians had it really rough and that the story just shows you how the indians cope in these dire situations
ReplyDeletei think he put these "stereotypes" to show how they overcame their struggles. it wasn't neccessarily stereotyping
ReplyDeletei think they just had rough times so they just started doing what every indian does and alexie was pointing out how and why indians get like that
ReplyDeletei think that he is just showing wht the Indians had/have to go through.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Trevor. I think it's Alexie's way of exemplifying the different ways society view Indians.
ReplyDeleteThat is the NAtive American story, he is drawing awareness tot he situation.
ReplyDeleteI dont think he is so much stereotyping the indians, but he is telling the truth about them
ReplyDeleteyeah iagree with jack and it's mostly Alexie telling the truth to the readers about what they went through
ReplyDeleteactually, this is what my paper was on. i think he does it partly to address the traditional problems on a reservation. i think that when life gets harder, people tend to fall into a bad pattern and Alexie was just showing the hardships that his people faced everday.
ReplyDeletei think that when the characters were affected by alcohol it was a very stereotypical way of describing a drunk person. for example they would describe like victors father passing out and all that stuff, which that is what you always think of when you think of a drunk person
ReplyDeletei think he compiled all of the stereotypes he has heard about native americans to show how much people used to discriminate indians back then
ReplyDeletei agree with jack and emily
ReplyDeleteI think it's because he knows that most people will never accept Indians as more than their stereotypes, so he makes the best of it.
ReplyDeleteWow, Parker, do you honestly think that people can't see each other? Will we never achieve the understanding and compassion that we all strive for? Your statement ("most people will never accept Indians as more than their stereotypes, so he makes the best of it") really bothers me. It makes me feel like the world is bleak, but then I remember that I totally disagree with you. This attitude is the same one that American women faced, that African-Americans faced, that Catholics faced, that homosexuals still face, that every marginalized group faces, but educated, caring people who see the fallacy of stereotypes refuse to bow to them.
ReplyDeleteSherman Alexie presents us with characters who fight stereotypes, who don't want to be "the drunken Indian," who strive for humanity, who love each other in small ways, but in ways that matter, and who teach us that, although life is terribly hard sometimes, you can still live with dignity.
for clarification of my post...i don't think that everyone in this world is narrow-minded, ignorant, and racist. i am saying that personally i think it is safe to assume that a significant portion of people in this country will always feel that way. i'm not saying i agree with them, and i'm not saying that's a good thing by any means. i think it is a very good thing how alexie uses these negative stereotypes and gives the people in his series of vignettes dignity and passion for their life despite their being judged negatively by the outside world, represented by the white people.
ReplyDeleteYes, but he not only makes fun of white people but also Native Americans.
ReplyDelete