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Summary Of Reservation Blues By Sherman Alexie

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In the story of reservation blues by sherman alexie the opening chapter starts off with the literary device of foreshadowing. “ In the one hundred and eleven years since the creation of the spokane indian reservation in 1881, not one person, indian or otherwise, had arrived there by accident. Wellpinit, the only town the reservation, did not exist on most maps, so the black stranger surprised the whole tribe when he appeared with nothing more than the suit he wore and guitar slung over his back.” The opening scene in this chapter gave me the feel of an mystical spooky setting. This lead me to believe that this character “ Robert Johnson” would have a big part in this story. Robert johnson is an african american man who was a famous guitar …show more content…

Big Mom was a spiritual woman she believed in myths she also watches over the spokane tribe. Johnson was reportedly to have sold his soul to the devil so that he could be the best guitar player there ever was. Johnson travels to the Spokane Reservation and wants to talk to Big Mom so that she can relieve him of his stress and can get his soul back from "The Gentleman." “ The Gentleman” to me is symbolized as the devil who comes around looking for him if he was to play the guitar or to say the name that was on the guitar.The gentlemen is brought about as manipulating and controlling. Johnson traded off his soul in order to become a great musician his instrument of choice was playing the guitar. He carries his guitar with him everywhere for a period of time,and to symbolize the pain and struggle of his past, but also reminds him of the music and pain he experiences when playing the instrument. Every time he goes to pluck the strings the strings penetrate his flesh with a hot burning sensation. To relieve his burdens from “the gentleman” johnson had to travel to the top of the mountain that no has ever visited to see big mom. To me the journey that Johnson has to take up the mountain to see Big Mom captions his journey and trials and tribulation he goes through with the devil to get his soul …show more content…

There are four Band members. You have Gladys and Eunice Warm Water better known as Chess and Checkers. These are two sister from Arlee, Montana. The sisters are very close to each other and is very protective over each other. Checkers and Chess earned money fighting forest fires in Montana before coming to the band. Then there is Junior Polatkin the drummer who is the son of two dead parents who died in a drunk-driving accident. Before joining the band Junior drove the water truck for the reservation. He went to college for a little while in Oregon, but returned to the spokane reservation after his girlfriend Lynn, decided to abort their child. Junior was a model, relative to Victor the guitar player of the band. Junior is his best friend. Victors life was misguided he had no direction growing up. victor also is a a drunk with rude behavior. Victor’s father left at a young age, and his stepfather mistreated him. Both of these situations lead victor’s life to suffer. Joining the band victor relies on Junior for money and help With the magic of Robert Johnson’s guitar. As for robert johnson victor becomes by far the best musician in the band. The side effects of the curse has different effects on the victor than robert johnson

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