This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix Arizona Character Analysis

Thomas helps Victor by giving him his savings so that victor can go to Phoenix to claim his dead dad’s savings. “ He said I had to watch over you in return of him not telling anyone.” Thomas told Victor that once they were on their way to claim the money in the bank. Victor’s dad told Thomas to watch over victor

In the short story This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona written by Alexie Sherman. Alexie wrote about these two Native Americans that live on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Victor had a tough childhood when his father left him around the age of seven and moved to Phoenix Arizona. Thomas’s parents died when he was just a baby and grew up with his grandmother, Thomas was a storyteller and got picked on a lot because of his story telling. Victor lost his job and he also found out that he lost his father due to a heart attack, Victor was told that his father had a savings account and if he wanted anything to go to Phoenix to go gather up his father’s belongings.

In the film, Alexie uses different perspectives of how Thomas and Victor view their relationship with Victor’s deceased father to learn from each other from their contrasting personalities. They are like “Children born of flame and ash” (Smoke Signals). Thomas is very naïve, calm and innocent like “ashes” in a way. With the isolation of the Indian reservation, he lacks the outside world

One of the first memory moments is about him and his dad practicing at the park. They then were talking about football and then Tommy’s father said “Everyone wanted to play offence…” He was talking about how all of his friends and pretty much everyone else who wants to play offence instead of defence. But Tommy and his dad play defence I feel like that brings a connection from Tommy’s dad to Tommy. It adds a person vs. person conflict. Tommy is sad since, he and his father won't have that connection ever again because he is gone.

Thomas Builds-the-Fire is character that has experiences many tragic outcomes in his life. For example, he explains that his parents both died when he was young. “My father, he died on Okinawa in World War II, died fighting for this country, which had tried to kill him for years. My mother, she died giving birth to me, died while I was still inside her. She pushed me out into the world with her last breath” (CITE). It is because of this tragedy, that he has the courage to overcome obstacles. For example, when Victor and Thomas were standing outside of the trailer that Victors dad passed away in, Victor told Thomas that he did not have to go inside, Thomas simply explained that he is going to need the help, “…. he held his breath and followed Victor into the trailer” (CITE). In this moment Thomas did not have to go into the

Thomas sees the world with free spirit and with serious understanding. He is a Native American teenager living amongst his tribe and learns the way of the Americans. From the story, “This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix Arizona” by Sherman Alexie, demonstrates Thomas view on the life he is living.

The future is unclear to see because of the multiple interpretations to one event. Seeing events and only being able to describe a possible outcome is what the character Thomas Builds-the-Fire in Sherman Alexie's, "This Is What it means To Say Phoenix, Arizona," can do. The ability has been once praised in cultures around the world but is now looked down upon. Thomas has lost a lifestyle that he was never able to have because he follows his ability including his friendships he has created. For this reason, Thomas Builds-the-Fire is now an outcast to the town's society; however, he looks after his old friend Victor because of his loyalty to Victor's father, believes in his visions can help his community, and the chance of obtaining new visions.

In the movie Smoke Signals, there are two main characters which are Victor, Thomas and. Victor’s father. and Thomas are both young teenagers going through high school. Thomas is more on the odd side of things, for example, the way he speaks, dresses and communicates with other people. Victor looks like your regular teenager. Victor is tall with long black hair and has a bit of an attitude. Victor’s father is a tall middle-aged man. He plays a fatherly figure in both Victors and Thomas lives. Both Victor and Thomas fit well into the movie. The roles they play in the movie are powerful as well as supportive. Throughout the movie, they support each other along the journey.

Response: This quote characterizes Tom as a man who takes pride in what others think of him and his family. Even though he will probably never see the truck driver again, Tom feels the need to clarify that both he and his father are literate. Although it would appear that he and his father are not close because they haven't exchanged letters, Tom is quick to defend his father so he must care for him.

| Tom wants his old life back prior to the accident and he sees the accident as the end of his life as he knew it. He loses his sense of identity and sense of family in particular.Feels guilty and ashamed about the irrevocable consequences his brother’s irresponsibility had for other people and their familiesRetreats into a depressed state which feels empty and black.

Sherman J. Alexie, is a short story written in the first person focusing on two Native American Men who grew up together on a Reservation for Native Americans but have been estranged from each other since they were teenagers. Victor who is the narrator of this story is a young man who lost faith in his culture and its traditions, while Thomas our second main character is a deeply rooted traditional storyteller. In the beginning of the story Victor, our Native American narrator learns the death of his father. Jobless and penniless, his only wish is to go to Phoenix, Arizona and bring back his father’s ashes and belongings to the reservation in Spokane. The death of Victor’s father leads him and Thomas to a journey filled with childhood

Thomas introduced himself by saying, “I’m half magician on my mother’s side and half clown on my father’s” (Alexie, “This Is What” 286). Many people laughed at that joke and Cathy thought it was funny also, so they continue to have a conversation. Even though Victor is embarrassed at Thomas’s attempts to continue to talk with her, they realize that Cathy is friendly and they all enjoy talking to each other. Another example is Thomas says “Sounds like you all got a lot in common with Indians” (Alexie, “This Is what 286”). This joke made the situation awkward because nobody thought was funny. That shows that not everything is a joke and could get the people around him offended or mad. When the plane lands, Victor felt the need to say sorry and get the feeling out of his chest so he apologizes for beating up Thomas. Soon later they arrive at Victor’s father’s trailer. Victor’s father’s body was not found for a week, so the trailer smelled really bad and it is really hard for Thomas and Victor to go in to sort through the man's things. While they are looking and going through the trailer they both are telling stories about how they helped one another and how they will have each other’s

Thomas seems to have a gift in his storytelling, they may seem like crazy stories he tells over and over but his stories may carry some kind of meaning. “We are all given one thing by which our lives are measured, one determination. Mine are the stories which can change or not change the world.” (Alexie P. 518) His stories about Victor’s father are why he went out of his way to help Victor. It took Victor a trip to Phoenix to see that Thomas was there for a reason, to help him because they were cousins.

“This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona”: The Road to a New Beginning

Thomas approaches Victor and offers his condolences. He tells Victor that he has money to lend him so he can make it to Phoenix. The only condition is that Victor must take Thomas with him. Victor tells Thomas that he can't accept his money and that they aren't even friends. Thomas replies “I didn't say we were friends. I said you had to take me with you.” (249). Victor says he'll think about it and goes home. When he arrives home, he is flooded with memories. After heavy consideration, Victor knows the only way he'll be able to claim his father's remains is to borrow the money from Thomas. He agrees to take Thomas along for the trip and the two men catch a plane to Phoenix, Arizona.