Wednesday, October 2, 2013
The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven #2
As I have gotten further into this book it is apparent that the narrator has aged and matured. Although each chapter is a completely new story there is and apparent pattern that gives the reader a sense of moving time. His problems have gotten more intense. In the section I am currently reading he is almost constantly drinking. Almost every story starts the same. He is either alone at a bar or with a friend drunk and then some event happens. I don't know if he repeated this pattern on purpose, but it develops his series of stories into more than just a random compilation of stories. It gives the reader a sense of the direction his life is moving in. Obviously, right now in the story, Alexie is at a very low point in life. He spends his nights getting drunk and picking up women he doesn't truly care about at all. One very interesting event that just happened in the story is Alexie has just taken an orphan into his care. A friend of his and Alexie went to a burning house after a night of drinking and attempted to save the family who's house was burning. Only their baby survived. Alexie took the child to the hospital and was given the duty of it's caretaker because he was the one that saved the child. It is interesting that in native american culture it is so simple to be put in charge of a child. The child's name is James and he does not speak. It creates a very interesting relationship with Alexie because although they spend most of their time together they never talk.
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Based off what you are reading now, do you think Alexie was the student from Indian Education? It almost seems like he fits in well with his graduating high school class. Do you know if he went to college or does he describe any scenes from college? It seemed like in Indian Education he was going onto something bigger and better than his old classmates, and does the book describe how Alexie gets into this slump? Do you think the baby Jake will change Alexies life for the better or worse? Personally, I think that James might be just what Alexie needs; to take responsibility of someone else, so he can learn to take responsibility and take care of himself. Do you know if this is an autobiography? Its a very bizarre and interesting life to be writing about, but I think it is important that readers are educated about Native American culture and the struggles they face today. How far are you in the book? Do you think now that all the little stories will be connected with something else besides drinking, if he is moving out of his slump? If so what?
ReplyDeleteone thing to remember: this is fiction. Alexie isn't at the bar, his character is. Easy to forget that when an author appears to make himself a character in a novel. Why do you think Alexie has done that?
ReplyDeleteAnd, yes, "Indian Education" is a chapter in this "novel" (well, a satellite of stories that seem to be working in some concerted way as Matias pointed out).
Although you said the book starts a new story every chapter and the author makes an apparent pattern, i was wondering what kind of pattern it may be and how he does it? you also said his problems have gotten more intense. are those problems with drugs, or its just with his life in general? Based on what you have read you said Alexie has matured and aged, but yet he seems to be doing worse in his life than he did a few stories back. You said he does stuff like drinking almost all the time and picking up women he doesn't even know. Do you think its a sign of maturity or just an addiction to a wild life? it intrigues me to know because this book sound very interesting because of all the new stories and the crazy adventures of Alexie throughout the chapters.You also mentioned that the author develops the stories in random compilation and gives us a sort of direction of the life of Alexie. do you think the author intentionally started, say from the lowest parts in his life and is possibly leading up to a major transition of maybe something good? I think the fact that Alexie has taken an orphan into his care,and he cannot speak is a great twist to the story and it may change his life completely.
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