Sherman Alexie s The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight

Sherman Alexie’s The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven is a collection of short stories about the lives of the people who live on the Spokane Indian Reservation. The central protagonist of the story is Victor Joseph who we see in many short stories and thus see the plight Native Americans go through in modern day America. The novel shows us the many trials that the people of the Reservation go through and addresses the many serious problems that modern Native Americans face, such as racism, alcoholism, poverty, limited educational opportunities, and being geographical isolated. Ultimately the state of affairs that the modern Native American race goes through stems from the historical events of European colonialism as well as modern day popular culture. One of the major problems that modern Native Americans face are the Americanization or â€Å"white washing† of their culture. This is caused by technology as well as the isolation of the reservation compared to the outside world. â€Å"Still, Indians have a way of surviving. But it’s almost like Indians can easily survive the big stuff. Mass murder, loss of language and land rights. It’s the small things that hurt the most. The white waitress who wouldn’t take an order, Tonto, the Washington Redskin† (The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven E-Book Chapter 5). This passage gives context to the book’s title. Tonto was a character from the very old and popular 1950s radio and television series The Lone Ranger. In fact TontoShow MoreRelatedSherman Alexie s The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight1362 Words   |  6 Pagesbelonging to either. The world they were born into had been taken from them and the new, white-washed world wouldn’t h ave them. Even after the removal of such schools, the effect remained. This is true of the Native Americans in Sherman Alexie’s The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. These characters have had their sense of self stripped away by invasive white culture. However, by telling stories they are able to slowly reclaim their Indian identity. Stories conjure up memories of the past, butRead MoreAnalysis Of Sherman Alexie s The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight 1233 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout â€Å"The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven† the theme of resilience is deliberately presented. Native Americans past and present continue to face stifling issues such as racism, alcoholism, isolation and suicide. Sherman Alexie makes it his obligation in his stories and poems to show Native American resiliency through humor. By using his characters to show resiliency through humor Alexie presents humor as an integral part of Native American survival. In Sherman Alexie’s best workRead MoreAnalysis Of Sherman Alexie s The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight 932 Words   |  4 PagesThe short story The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven lets us know that Sherman Alexie is a Native American poet, novelist, and performer. Sherman Alexie s key characteristics to his writing are irony and dark humor. Sherman Alexie’s main focus in his writing is his experience as a Native American. â€Å"The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven† is a short story that talks about his relationship with a white woman. There is also a lot of contrast between the way Native Americans are seenRead MoreAnalysis Of Sherman Alexie s Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight Heaven 1598 Words   |  7 Pageshas been shown through Sherman Alexie’s Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. In this novel, he attempts to shed light on the struggles Native American people, specifically on the Spokane Reservation, withstand through multiple stories and perspectives. Some novels, if their perspective of truth has not been taken into account, still affect people in their everyday lives, albeit major or minor. While all novels do have lessons, whether they be good or bad,  an author s obligation to tell theRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Sherman Alexie s The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight 1116 Words   |  5 PagesEdwards Newman 10/26/14 Essay 2 ENC 1102 (Green 2) In his stories Sherman Alexie’s humor, portays a role that helps bring people together,Alexie s sophisticated use of humor unsettles conventional ways of thinking and helps brain growth, which allows Indian characters to connect to their heritage in ways and forces non-Indian readers to reconsider their ideas on them. â€Å"The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven† by Sherman Alexie is a humorously told, short story detailing the struggle of an AmericanRead MoreAnalysis Of Sherman Alexie s Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight Heaven 1534 Words   |  7 Pagesthis can be shown through Sherman Alexie’s Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. In this novel, he attempts to shed light of the struggles Native American people, specifically on the Spokane Reservation, withstand through multiple stories and perspectives. Some novels, if their perspective of truth is not taken into account, still affect people in their every day lives, albeit major or minor. While all novels do have lessons, whether they be good or bad,  an author s obligation to tell the truthRead MoreAnalysis Of Sherman Alexie s The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight 1242 Words   |  5 Pagesone self-identifies. The dominant culture sets the values and expectations of society ideals. When one tries to silently assimi late into the dominant culture without losing their heritage a Hybrid is created. Sherman Alexie’s combination of short stories, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, highlights the many struggles Native Americans face within their culture while trying to fit into the White culture. The telling of these stories reveals the Hybridity Native Americans have become;Read MoreAnalysis Of Sherman Alexie s The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight 2477 Words   |  10 PagesIn Sherman Alexie’s novel, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven(1993), nearly all of the characters suffer from alcoholism. Those who do not drink, cannot escape the external backlash from an alcoholic environment. Through the stories of the characters in the book, both on and off the reservation, the author is able to distinguish arguments for and against the white people on whether or not they are to blame for the problems Native Americans have faced related to alcoholism. The fate ofRead Mo reAnalysis Of Sherman Alexie s The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight Heaven 1435 Words   |  6 Pageslegendary warriors of the past. As times change and the days of Indian and cowboy battles are behind us; how is it possible for a warrior to still be relevant in the modern day? Sherman Alexie expresses this idea of a modern-day warrior in his book The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. Many times, throughout the book Alexie brings up the idea of warriors and uses their actions to portray them to seem noble. Multiple characters in the book want to change their current outlook on life and breakRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Sherman Alexie s The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight Heaven 1448 Words   |  6 PagesHumor: Sherman Alexie’s Comic Connections and Disconnections in The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven,† the author Joseph L. Coulombe, writes about the humor used in Sherman Alexie’s short stories. Coulombe argues that in Sherman Alexieâ⠂¬â„¢s stories that humor is essential for character development and the creation of bonds between these characters. He often makes statements discussing how humor allows Alexie’s characters to show strength and connect to their Indian heritage. â€Å"The Lone Ranger