Each individual needs the assistance of other individuals to be successful during their time on this planet. The nature of the links among persons is determined by the existence of a positive relationship between them. However, most typical consecutive connections are derived from a familial foundation, which serves as the fundamental unit of contact before one embarks on a journey into other types of partnerships.
Sharing the same philosophy contributes to the development of a more fundamental familial bond, regardless of the members’ origins. As long as there is a strong relationship between them, each individual will go the additional mile to aid their counterpart in the event of a disaster. In the context of this, Alexie’s narrative, This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona, maybe plainly seen as follows. As a result, the purpose of this article is to provide a literary study of the way family connections are represented in the novel what it means to pronounce Phoenix Arizona.
Alexie concentrates her attention in this novel on the interaction between two characters, Thomas and Victor. They are close friends of Native American descent who met on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington. Throughout the film, Victor portrays a contemporary Indian who has no faith in the traditional ways of the Indian community or its customs. The traditional legends that Thomas relates are the polar opposite of Victor’s idea about the ancient Indians, which directly opposes his philosophy. Victor’s father had died of a heart attack, and the journey to his funeral is at the center of the tale.
They travelled together to attend the funeral of Victor’s father. According to the novel, Victor’s father is said to have abandoned his family, specifically his wife and son, when he was still a child, at the age of seven years (Alexie 275). The primary reason for their attendance at the funeral was to collect all of his savings, as well as his ashes, which they believed had been hidden somewhere (Kedong). Victor had no choice but to accept Thomas’ invitation and travel with him because he barely had a hundred dollars in his savings.
Furthermore, when most people are going through a difficult period, they may begin to believe that only the terrible things are being focused on them, leading them to acquire a pessimistic attitude regarding the rest of the universe. Due to the close bond that had developed between Victor and Thomas due to his father’s influence, Thomas agreed to lend Victor money in exchange for Victor agreeing to accompany him on his journey.
Victor, who had no choice but to comply with his demand since he had run out of money following the termination of his employment with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), was obliged to do so (Alexie 274). The fact that Thomas had told Victor’s father that he would take care of him no matter what occurred completely tainted his plans to accompany Victor on his journey.
During their travel, the two reminisce about their early friendship and how they lived as a family as a youngster. Victor went so far as to express regret to Thomas for beating him up when they were both young and impressionable. “Victor got pretty intoxicated and beat Thomas up for no cause at all,” Victor says of the incident (Alexie 277). Victor’s father is portrayed as a traditional storyteller by Thomas, who tells several anecdotes that help the reader comprehend the father’s character in the book.
Alexie combines character development and symbolism to demonstrate how one may reconnect with and appreciate one’s former livelihood, paving the way for a more promising future. Even though Victor and his father did not have a deep link, the death of his father was a devastating blow to him; “there was still genetic sorrow, which was as real and urgent as a broken bone” (Alexie 275). As a human, Thomas, who had suffered greatly at the hands of Victor, yet feels sorry for him when he is without a place to go and offers to help him.
The destruction of one’s prior connections is not a sufficient basis to refuse to ratify the previous friendship and to bury the hatchet, particularly in times of crisis or difficulty. For example, Victor fabricated that his father had abandoned him when he was a child and then went to his father’s grave and laid his ashes to rest with him (Alexie 274). Thomas also put the past behind him and offered to renew his old relationship with Victor at a moment when he could have sought retribution. Victor and his father are brought together by Thomas, who acts as a link between them “His teeth will be as bright as silver and as colorful as a rainbow (Alexie 274).
Finally, What it means to say Phoenix Arizona is portrayed as immoral teaching that fosters an optimistic outlook during times of adversity. The presence of “Thomas Builds-the-Fire” gives Victor hope as he helps him piece himself back together and give his father a proper burial even though he was not present as a father figure while he was growing up. Family relationships are depicted in a way that ensures that conflicts are resolved peacefully, even more so when a previous connection between people exists.
Works Cited
Alexie, Sherman. “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona.”
Kedong, L. I. U. “Stories and Dreams, Tradition and Future: The” Trickster” Image and Oral Tradition in Sherman Alexie’s” This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona.” Foreign Literature 6 (2007).