Thesis: In, This is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona, Victor's father's death leads to the many stories about their childhood that makes them reconsider their friendship.
I. Mother Theresa once said, "Kind words can be short and easy to speak but there are truly endless."
A. As Victor and Thomas approached the door to the trailer Victor says, "I never told you I was sorry for beating you up that one time."
B. He does not say he wants them to be best friends again but he is showing how he cares about Thomas' feelings.
II. The story about Spokane tells why Thomas goes along on the trip and why he liked Victor's father.
A. Thomas explains, "He said he wouldn't tell anybody... But he said I had to take care of you as part of the deal."
B. It's ironic how one good deed done so far along in the past is still recompensed in a time of need.
III. Anonymously once said, "Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceed your need for each other."
A. The last story, "And your father will rise like a salmon, jump over the ...
Never become complacent and let my interpersonal relationship becomes stagnant, which can lead to resentment and conflict. Weighing the cost verses the rewards may not always be the solution for my relationship; simply, because the cost may ultimately outweigh the rewards. The need for autonomy can have reverse effects and may not lead to the closeness that’s expected. In, turn the very thing that, I try to be open about in my relationship can inadvertently cause me to protect my feelings in the
It is often said that the setting of the story can change the character’s mentality and personality. In the classic vignette, A Summer Life, Gary Soto addresses his childhood to adulthood in Fresno in the course of a short vivid chapters. Born on April 12, 1952, a year before the Korean War ended, Gary experiences his life in Fresno of what he describes “what I knew best was at ground level,” and learns what is going on around the neighborhood with his religious background behind him. Later, when he realizes his father passes away, he undergoes hardships which cause his family to be miserable. Growing up in the heart of Fresno, Gary Soto, the author, explains his journey as a young man to adolescence through his use of figurative language and other adventures. The settings of this book revise Gary’s action and feelings around his surroundings.
...ut Jake in a confused state of his life. His love has always been the river, giving him hope, peace, friendship, brotherhood, and love. The river gave him everything but has now taken away his only brother for no reason at all. No matter how much he tries to get away from his past, the river is his life and has become his home.
In “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix Arizona”, Victor has become psychologically troubled because he has put his own traditions behind. Throughout the story, the readers find out that Victor has an internal conflict due to the unhealthy relationships in his life. His father abandons him at a very young age, which causes Victor’s loss of guidance and self-identity. The day that Victor’s father abandons his family, Victor gets “really drunk and beat[s] Thomas up for no apparent reason at all”(276). If no one would have stopped Victor, Thomas-build-the-fire would have died which clearly shows the readers that Victor is mentally troubled. Not only does he lose his father but, Victor also loses his best friend on that same day. In other words, Victor is mentally traumatized after the abandonment. In fact, Rothe Eugenio, a professor in the department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health at Florida Inter...
Tom was hit by a shell from the Union army. Jeff turned and saw Tom rolling
to her as much as he wants but she is not letting him back into her life. When Thomas
When Thomas awakes the next morning it takes him a little until he is fully conscious and remembers that he had to complete his plan by taking the trunk to the station. Before Thomas could finish packing up his clothes
Victor knew he was a Native American that lived on the reservation. However, as he has grown up, it seems he has forgotten the tribal ties of the Native Americans. The people of that culture consider everyone in the tribe to be family and they are not ashamed of who they are and where they come from. Towards the end of the fictional narrative it is said, “Victor was ashamed of himself. Whatever happened to the tribal ties, the sense of community? The only real thing he shared with anybody was a bottle and broken dreams. He owed Thomas something, anything” (519). At the end of the story, Victor has finally realize that he is acting self absorbed. He realizes that this is not who he wants to be and he should not be ashamed to talk to Thomas Builds-a-Fire. Remembering his tribal ties, Victor gives half of his father 's ashes to Thomas. By doing that, Victor is thanking Thomas in his own way. Victor said, “listen, and handed Thomas the cardboard box which contained half of his father. “I want you to have this” (519). Individuals on the reservation thought Thomas was just a madman with weird stories. But in reality he was always true to his tribal identity and has even taught Victor how to get back to that. For example Thomas says, “I’m going to travel to Spokane Falls one last time and toss these ashes into the water. And your father will rise like a salmon, leap over the bridge, over me, and find his way
Victor grows up in school both on the American Indian Reservation, then later in the farm town junior high. He faces serious discrimination at both of these schools, due to his Native American background. This is made clear in both of the schools by the way the other students treat him as well as how his teachers treat him. His classmates would steal his glasses, trip him, call him names, fight him, and many other forms of bullying. His teachers also bullied him verbally. One of his teachers gave him a spelling test and because he aced it, she made him swallow the test. When Victor was at a high school dance and he passed out on the ground. His teacher approached him and the first thing he asked was, “What’s that boy been drinking? ...
Thomas was eager to company Victor in his phoenix trip, for collecting ashes of Victor’s dad, due to the fact that an event occurred during Thomas childhood, involving Victor’s father, that aid him feel more secure. During their journey Victor felt sense of asking Thomas for forgiveness of all what happened between them in the past. The writer has made use of metaphor. By the end of the story Thomas was given part of Victor’s dad ashes, they had discussed earlier as throwing ashes and observing Salmon happily. Thomas said “It will be beautiful. His teeth will shine like silver, like a rainbow, he will rise.” This statement imparts a particularly distinctive picture of Salmon, in the reader’s perception and demonstrates an accurate predilection, behind this discord incident. This odyssey, reunited Victor, with an old companion, on whom he can trust. Thomas, made Victor to gather on his way back, few positive and negative memories, which he needed to memorize. Thomas was also benefited from this journey, by narrating to Victor tales, that refresh many memories of his childhood and his dad. I can relate Thomas and Victor’s experience with mine. When I came to live in Cairo, four years ago, I faced many hurdles in schools and in my daily routine. I left my friends and my relatives and I become depressed as I could not make new friends easily. Being introvert for a while let me realize that being with people that care about you and stand side by side with you to support you, is the most strong and worthy
In conclusion, Sherman Alexie created a story to demonstrate the stereotypes people have created for Native Americans. The author is able to do this by creating characters that present both the negative and positive stereotypes that have been given to Native Americans. Alexie has a Native American background. By writing a short story that depicts the life of an Indian, the reader also gets a glimpse of the stereotypes encountered by Alexie. From this short story readers are able to learn the importance of having an identity while also seeing how stereotypes are used by many people. In the end of the story, both Victor and Thomas are able to have an understanding of each other as the can finally relate with each other through Victor's father.
“Sometimes it 's easy to walk by because we know we can 't change someone 's whole life in a single afternoon. But what we fail to realize it that simple kindness can go a long way toward encouraging someone who is stuck in a desolate place.” ~ Mike Yankoski
In life, everyone experiences a time of hardship, and for the most part, those affected find methods of overcoming the adversity. The idea of getting through hardship is best reflected in; Sherman J. Alexie’s story “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona” (274). In the story, victor whose father had recently died from a heart attack has to travel to phoenix Arizona to reclaim his father’s ashes and his truck. Victor is joined by his former childhood friend “Thomas Builds-the-fire”, who finances the trip to phoenix since Victor did not have the means. They drove back truck from phoenix to the reservation. Throughout the trip, Thomas is always telling stories mostly reminiscing about their childhood. It is through Thomas stories that we learn much about Victor’s father. Through the use of symbolism, and character development, Alexie conveys the idea that, when someone is experiencing an adversity, reconnecting and embracing the past may lead to a discovery of a brighter future.
“Relationships are what make up our world today, they shape the ways we see things and the way that we do things, relationships affect how we see the world today.” I believe supporting what your partner does, having a great sum of trust and showing your affections towards your partner is what will make a healthy relationship great.
Alexie, Sherman. "This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix, Arizona." Mandell and Kirszner 274-83.