"This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix, Arizona"

This story by Alexie gives the reader a very descripitive picture of how difficult and trying life is on an Indian reservation. The story forces you to focus on all of the negative aspects of Indain life on the "rez" such as extreme poverty for everyone and the excessive loss of their tribal traditions and culture. I found myself wondering, as the story was coming to an end, what was the reasoning for his father leaving. I can relate to the trials he was enduring but Alexie nevers gives the reader this piece of mind. It was evident to me as the story progresses this reservation was a lot like what we have been talking about in class in the sense that there is alcoholism and poverty everywhere not to mention the sense of a lost culture to the world. Thomas is a colorful character throughout the story who carries himself and thinks like his ancestors before him. His telling of his visions begin to make Victor realize that even though there culture is struggling, there is always a turning force to guide them at all times or as Thomas says, "Nothing Stops, cousin".

Fleur

"Fleur" by Louise Erdrich was a story a little hard for me to grasp. I did not understand if it was Native American folklore or if the story holds some historic reference. Fleur seems to have a spiritual dilema in which she is a very beautiful girl but needs nor wants a mortal man although she does bore a child at the end of the story. I believe Fleur has supernatural powers inherited through her bloodline as the story tells us, "Power travels through the bloodlines, handed out before birth". Fleur could possibly have blood flowing through her veins that comes from powerful ancestors and her "powers" may be used in order to get some sort of reprieve for her people or her justified revenge on "outsiders".

Truganinny

Rose's poem "Truganinny" is a depressing but enlightening story of a woman who paints a picture of Aborigines, her culture, being forcibly removed from their lands and in the process many lives are lost not to mention their culture and traditions being stamped out fore she is the last full-blooded member of the Tasmanians. The poem speaks of her struggling to relay to others how tragic their situation truly is and how desperately she wants to die at peace in her own lands. The story reminds me of how Native Americans struggled with the same injustices. This poem really hits home when she speaks of her dead children with their eyes gone gray. This paints a vivid description of the repercussions we see time and time again with forced colonization.

Eagle Feather Fan, The Delight Song of Tsoai-Talee and The Earth

Eagle Feather Fan is a poem that speaks of eagles as one of the most strong and beautiful animals in the world. He is passionate about the eagle as a symbol of his own life and even goes as far as to say he draws "power" from the eagle. It lead me to wonder if perhaps the eagle is a huge sacred symbol of his culture. The Delight Song of Tsoai-Talee I think is speaking of his people who have survived many obstacles in life but are still at one of with themselves and as one as a people together. Almost like a tribute to his culture and history, a way to show his pride and to let others know that they are delivered. The Earth is my favorite poem of his. It feels like it is being spoken from a true Native American but at the same time it is directed to all of mankind. He claims in the poem that the blood of the human race is deeply invested in the Earth and his thinking process makes sense. This poem was the easiest for me to relate to and I think this poem can be related to from many cultures and different types of people, which is why it is my favorite.

Angel of Geese and Before An Old Painting of the Crucifixion

Angel of Geese is a poem about loss and having no hope. I believe Momaday is speaking of personal loss in his life as well as people of a paticular culture who have expierenced the loss of many citizens. The poem is a depressing but interesting one. Before An Old Painting of the Crucifixion is a poem of Momaday that I believe is speaking about the feeling of despair and how the strength of this feeling devours all positive aspects of life. I am not sure however if he is speaking of his own father.

How to Write the Great American Indian Novel

Alexie claimed in order for an great American Indian novel to be written the story had to have an Indian woman who was beautiful and loved a white man, or a white woman who loved an Indian man but pretended not too. There must be one murder, one suicide and one attempted rape. I believe Alexie is being dark and humorous towards American mainstream mass media that has given our culture these negative depictions of Native Americans. I think he wants to let America know it is not funny or moral to depict his culture the way our media and Hollywood does.

Crimes Against Humanity and Note to a Culture Vulture

"Crimes Against Humanity" is an really interesting outlook on major athletic teams using Native American culture as mascots for their teams and if it is appropriate or not. I am an avid sports fan and this argument is intriguing because the writer makes some valid points such as it is degrading to Native American culture and that it is offensive for Americans to actively take place in the "tomahawk" chop cheer at the Braves game because it negatively depicts Indians as a people. I certainly can understand frustration from Native Americans but I have to disagree with the author. I stand with the owners of sport teams and propose instead of Native Americans thinking ngatively about the team names maybe they should look at the situation as the teams honouring their culture and past. I know we are supposed to be "politically correct" but I mean honestly, give it a rest. Athletics is America's pastime and so is their logos and nicknames, which I do not see most of them changing in the future. " Nota to a Culture Vulture" by Adrian Louis is a dark yet humorous article I think that might be directed to Alexie Sherman or another Native American writer. Louis is writing about his hatred of how Native American culture is disappearing and how the author of the book he just read finally realized his Native Americna race was noble and tragic. Louis basically degrades the author of the book but it is puzzling because at the end of the article he states he liked the book a little. More background is needed in order to understand Louis's process of thinking.

Thomas McGuane

"Cowboy" by McGuane was an interesting story and it reminded of the feature film, "Open Range" because of how the relationship was between the old man and the younger man. Over time, like "Open Range", both men began trusting each other and started to enjoy working together on the ranch. I believe the reasoning behind this is mainly that both men thought of themselves as the last of a "dying breed", pertaining to the life of the cowboy, which forged a strong but unlikely bond between the two of them. I really enjoyed how McGuane portayed the old man's character in particular because that is how I enviosioned an old cowboy of that era, hard headed and set in his ways. I particularly enjoyed the old man's comments about how you would never catch him help feeding a frenchman's mouth, words spoken like a true American cowboy. One of the issues I had with the story was why did the author not try and make more of an effort to give more background on the brother and sisters history?

Cormac McCarthur

"Blood Meridian" was an interesting excerpt and one I did not fully understand it at first. One of the most interesting aspects of this excerpt to me is how Cormac uses his words to paint an extremely vivid picture in the reader's head. For example, Cormac describes a child's lifeless body in a church with two buzzards perched on it, among with many other bodies in the church, and I felt like I could envision this scene in my head as if I were watching a movie. To me, Cormac depicted Native Americans as savages and barbarians. While there is not much background on the characters one can imagine the characters must have had some injustices done to them by Native Americans. Some of the scenes from the excerpt depict Native Americans murdering whole villages, children and women not withstanding. Therefore, I found myself wondering why Cormac would paint such a negative image of Native Americans and what was his reasoning for writing such a descriptive and violent excerpt.