Analysis Of Sherman Alexie's Superman And Me

Racism has great effect on how both Indian men gain access to a proper education. Alexie says, “A smart Indian is a dangerous person, widely feared and ridiculed by Indians and non-Indians alike. I fought with my classmates on a daily basis”. (495) “We were Indian children who were expected to be stupid”. (495) He was the only

Reading “The Joy of reading and Writing: Superman and Me,” gave me a different perspective of reading and writing. Sherman Alexie, who grew up on the Spokane Reservation in Wellpinit, Washington, explains his life as an Indian boy, and how reading and writing helped his life to succeed. Alexie purposes is to discuss how he first learned how to read and write, his intelligence as a young Indian boy, and Alexie as an adult teaching creative writing to Indians children. Alexie learned not only how to read but to love reading. He used his love of reading to propel himself through the school system, removing himself from the stereotypical to be dumb, quiet, poor, and to fail in life.

Reading is the one of activity we experience in daily life. Why do we read books, or something else? Reason might be vary. For someone reading book is just one of requirement for classes. For other, it is for fun. One thing we can say is reading has more power than people expect. Reading gives us many ideas or thought. Sometimes reading save someone’s life as it did so to Alexie. If he did not read books as much as he did so far, he does not exist as he is today. Reading gave him a lot of knowledge, and this knowledge helped him to be stronger, smart and arrogant. Eventually, in his words, reading saved his life.

As poet, William Blake once said, “Without contraries is no progression. Attraction and repulsion, reason and energy, love and hate, are necessary to human existence.” By the same token, I believe that all of the factors listed by Blake help us grow and become stronger.

In the beginning of the essay, Alexie talks about how knowledge is a power that opens a window to success by using an anecdote about his personal experience with knowledge. As Alexie talks about his childhood in the beginning, he says, “We lived on a combination of irregular paychecks, hope, fear and government surplus food...” (Alexie). When Alexie discusses the conditions his family lived in, he is setting this frame of pity that makes the reader understand that education wasn’t the first thing on their mind, but what they we’re going to eat next. Later on in the beginning, Alexie explains how his father surrounded him with books and how his love for books started. His love for books was sparked from the love his father had for books. Alexie states this when he says, “...My father loved books...I loved my father...I decided to love books as well...” (Alexie). Alexie also explains how he didn’t understand at first when he first picked up a book but soon learned that “The words inside a paragraph worked together for a common purpose...this knowledge delighted me. I began to think of everything in terms of paragraphs...”(Alexie). This could be seen as a power because although he doesn’t understand, he’s learning how to understand what he’s reading and this could count as one of his first steps to success. As Alexie explains his personal experience with knowledge, he proves how he is an example of

Specifically, in paragraph seven, he uses short, concise sentences and clauses to get his point across. “I was lucky. I read books…” (217). His repetition of the word “I” and “I read” give the audience a sense of aggressive importance. Alexie stresses that he read books everywhere, naming quite a few places (which were not common areas to read) and even specific examples such as simple things like bulletin boards and magazine covers.

education. As it seems the author, Sherman Alexie, got to be who he is now with an education. “I

Alexie remembers being poor, and living on “…a combination of irregular paychecks, hope, fear and government surplus food” (Alexie 583). His father “…went to Catholic school on purpose, was an avid reader” (Alexie 583) of various types of books. There were stacks of books throughout the house that his father had purchased from discount stores, mostly in bulk. This emphasizes that although they were poor, his father still valued reading.

“I learned to read with a Superman comic book.” In the beginning of “Superman and Me” by Sherman Alexie, Alexie explains he learned to first read with a Superman comic book. He use this, as a hook, in his text. In Alexie’s text he uses an extended metaphor, in which he shows the similarities of Superman and himself. Alexie uses different ways to show it, by how each of them make mistakes, how both of them are different from others, and how both of them are trying to save lives.

He shows the audiences that his father is the reason why he enjoy reading and writing, that his father influenced him. Alexie’s father liked reading that he often brought back books, newspaper, and magazine to read. His house is filled with books. Although Alexie taught himself to learn reading, I think it's his father who lead him to the word of books.

Sherman Alexie mainly addresses fellow Native-Americans, by making an appeal to pathos. He creates the feeling of camaraderie, as he declares, “I am trying to save our lives.”

indians is a disgrace on the name of Christianity. He says that even the worst people can

Intriguingly, he does so in a brilliant fashion making it difficult for the reader to look down upon him. The structure plays a major part in this, by telling his childhood memories of his time spent at his father’s company, the feeling of compassion is more appropriate than disdain. Despite mankind’s groundbreaking advancements in technology and communication, it has taken a step back in the durability of books. Ultimately a reflection of the state of consumerism in today’s society. An unquenchable thirst of always wanting more and the latest gadgets. Which relates back to how writing was created to record commercial transactions, and arguably the birth of capitalism, it is only inevitable that by planting such a seed, its fruits grow from it. You cannot plant orange seeds and expect apples, and our false knowledge about writing and it’s purpose is simply the representation of the current state of

Books were in his life at an early age. His mother was a good calligrapher and loved literature. His grandfather and father were both architects. From them he received concepts of designing, planning and living. He was a shy child and loved to read. Books gave him an interest of the text as to how printed and written words could give

The expectations that others place on us help us form our own expectation of ourselves, we can also choose to form our own goals. Granted that, Sherman Alexie had written a story about how he was inspired to become a writer. Beginning with learning to read on his own, then taking a stand against his society’s beliefs. For that reason, Sherman has encouraged other native American children to be more ambitious. In fact, on Superman and Me Sherman has proven, the ability to learn is not fixed, that it can be changed with someone’s efforts alone. Because he doesn’t believe failure is a permanent state.