This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona by Sherman Alexie

After reading this short story I was paying close attention the the locations and how they relay to the story. In another class I had this semester we had to pay close attention to plot, theme ecetera in literature we were reading so that is how this came about in this story. All the location and environment descriptions in this story really help to set a scene for the characters in this short story. I felt all the locations, although they were very different in appearance and locations were very depressing in theme. The reservation seemed at first as thought it could be a great place because the Indians could keep a lot of their cultural beliefs; then you realize keeping those traditions came at a cost. The Reservation had a high poverty rate. None of the people had updated school books and learning the correct information. They as a people were falling behind and disappearing on the world stage. The tribes were broke. They could not even help Victor pay for the trip to retrieve his father’s ashes. Thomas brought in a nice addition to the story and I found it interesting this young man had the money to help Victor and take himself along too but the tribe could not. That to me shows what kind of situation they were in. To not be able to return the body of a loved one in Indian culture is a big deal from what I have heard before on old history shows.

The airplane provided a little joy in way that they were always on the reservation and a plane is a whole new experience for them. They flew like the birds but the experience was not full of joy due to the purpose of the flight but they did get a few laughs with the young lady they met who was in the Olympics. The purpose of the flight is was really gives this environment a dark tone in my eyes. How can you fully enjoy this experience when you are retrieving the body of a loved one? Victor’s dads house has the worst feelings for me. It is dark and depressing and the stench of his father’s decomposing body from having been left in the house for so long before the discovery all throughout the house made it the most horrifying location of the story. At the end of the story when they drive through Arizona deserts this is where you notice that Victor and Thomas notice their surroundings and the feeling of death from no visible life grows in a dessert. It was like in this moment in their journey their traditional ancestry roots were awakened and they mourned for the life lost in this area of the land. The scene when ar first they were a little upset at making roadkill of the only sign of life they saw in Arizona, but then laughed it off as a way of consoling one another really made this scene although depressing in nature transforming to the journey.

Victor was an aggressive and proud character. He loved his family and had much honor in my eyes because he went out into the unknown and brought his father back. Thomas was more vulnerable and appeared to be more traditional in views. He was true to himself which really makes him stand out. No matter how much he was looked down upon for staying so traditional he stayed true to himself and appeared to be happy. I found he was a good foil character to Victor.

This story is the shortstory to the movie we watched "Smoke Signals" for class. The story is almost exactly a like however the relationship between Tom and Victor is explained more which made me feel like I understood Tom's character more in the movie.

- Cassa Arnold