Eric Brennan
11/16/14
American Lit.
First draft In “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven” by Sherman Alexi. The theme of cultural identity is important to the story because it shows the truths about the Native Americans in America, and can be seen through celebration, appearances and Tradition/spirituality. In the story almost all throughout the book you can find things that fall under cultural identity and effects on many characters. “There is something beautiful about an Indian boy with hair so black it collects the sunlight. His braids grow hot to the touch and his skin chimes with reservation sweat. He is skinny and doesn’t know how to spit.” (Alexi 146). The cultural identity in “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven” is showing the beauties of a Native Americans. Instead of the stereotypical Native American being just a complete ugly, not sanitary person there actually beautiful and not just dirt and not worthy.
Through the story cultural identity is shown and the consistency of a Indian being named after their father is bad, but is a good thing. It was the fourth of July and Victor and Thomas were riding bikes around and it was so dark you couldn’t see their faces. “Which Junior? Everybody on this Reservation is named Junior” pg 63 (Alexie 63). In many cultures people name their child after the name of their selves. They all don’t look alike just because of their long black hair. I don’t think it’s just Native Americans that have junior as there name but it’s just a little more common they are saying in the book. People have same name as their parents on Reservation because it was just the thing to do and most common. Another stereotypical thing is saying that every Indian has the same name, but only son of Indian fathers tend to have the same name as their father. People try to say its only Indians but a lot of ethnic groups do the same thing.
In the story almost all throughout the book you can find things that fall under cultural identity and effects on many characters. It’s the beginning of the chapter and there having a celebration or powwow it is called. “I knew Norma before she ever met her husband-to-be, James many horses. I knew her back when there was good fry bread to be eaten at the powwow, before the old women died and took their recipes with them.” Pg 199 (Alexie 199). Powwow are celebrations because they good fry bread. Powwow is a prty where a bunch of people get together and eat, drink and have fun all together. Powwows are really fun and can connect people to one another.
In the story almost all throughout the book you can find things that fall under cultural identity and effects on many characters. Victor was dancing and celebrating just reminiscing on how his father was doing the same dance with the same outfit on. “Victor was fancydancing. Eight maybe nine years old and he was fancydancing in the same outfit his father wore as a child. The feathers were genetic; the fringe was passed down like the curve of his face.” Pg 87b (Alexie 87) when someone dances it shows emotion towards something they did or are doing. The way he dances is different then the regular person so it shows the difference and the purpose what it’s doing. Dancing is something were you express yourself and release his or hers emotions.
In the story almost all throughout the book you can find things that fall under cultural identity and effects on many characters. “There were these two Indian boys who wanted to be warrior. But it was too late to be warriors in the old way. All the horses were gone so the two Indian boys stole a car and drove to the city.” Pg 63 (Alexie 63) the cultural identities in “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven” is showing the story telling is a major part in Indian heritage. Every race and ethnic group has their own version of storytelling.
In the story almost all throughout the book you can find things that fall under cultural identity and effects on many characters. “In the trailer by Tshimikan Creek where my cousins and I used to go crazy in the mud, my aunt waited. She served to pass the time, made beautiful buckskim outfits that no one can afford, and once she made a full-length beaded dress that was too heavy for anyone to wear.” Pg 76 (Alexie 76). The cultural identities in “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven” is showing that the beaded dress is spiritual and only strong women can wear it. That kind of like Thors hammer and many other miffs.
I believe the theme of cultural identity is important to the story because it shows the truths about the Native Americans in America, and honestly every ethnic group has their own traditions that they practice. In this ay in age we all should just love each other for who we are, and not judge us by our skin and our heritage.