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Summary Of Victor Joseph In 'Smoke Signals'

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Of the all the central characters in Smoke Signals, Victor Joseph is the one whose struggle to cope with his past is at the forefront of the story. Many years after his father Arnold leaves home permanently, in 1998, his mother Arlene receives a phone call from Suzy Song, Arnolds final neighbor, informing her that Arnold died and that he and his stuff would be ready for someone to come pickup at his home near Phoenix. Reluctantly, Victor decides to take a trip down to Phoenix with Thomas, who offered to pay for the trip on the condition that he be allowed to travel with him. Early on in trip, Victor and Thomas talk with a gymnast named Cathy who claims to have been an alternate on the 1980 Olympic team. Victor quickly deduces that she is lying …show more content…

Soon after, Victor becomes irritated with Thomas telling more of his stories and asks him if he even knows how to be a real Indian. An unsure “I guess not,” is Thomas’ response, to which Victor states that he will just have to teach Thomas how to be one. Victor then explains that an Indian must remain stoic and mean like a warrior to receive any respect from others. Victor’s beliefs on what an Indian should act like probably originate from the knowledge and stories of Indians from the nineteenth century passed down over the years through both written and oral records. Victor sternly deciding to actively follow the example of the tribe’s ancestors was probably made in response to his treatment from and the behavior of his father. Choosing to abide by the beliefs and traditions of his tribes allows Victor to cope with or simply avoid his past by both renewing and strengthening his identity as a member of his tribe’s society. However, soon after telling Thomas of his beliefs, Victor’s “warrior act” fails to elicit any respect from two rude gentlemen who take the two Indians’ bus seats during a

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