Text Exploration: The Only Traffic Signal on the Reservation Doesn't Flash Red Anymore by Sherman Alexie

Early Claim: It’s easy to dismiss Sherman Alexie’s story as offensive and pointless. But it seems like his unique narrative style humanizes his characters in a way that would be impossible were they just flat stereotypes.

Ideas to further unpack (in bold from above):

1)   “unique narrative style.”

2)   “humanizes his characters.”

3)   “flat stereotypes.”

Light Text-Exploration:

Julius and his friends pass by. Victor and Adrian sit on Victor’s porch talking and reminiscing about Julius and their own basketball experiences.
“There’s a definite history₁ of reservation heroes₂ who never finish high school, who never finish basketball seasons. Hell, there’s been one or two guys who played just a few minutes of one game, just enough to show what they could have been₃. And there’s the famous case of Silas Sirius, who made one move and scored one basket in his entire basketball career. People still talk about it₄.”
-page 47
They continue to talk about Silas Sirius.

1.     Alexie does something interesting here–he has his main character almost embrace the stereotype, in a way that reveals that he’s hyper aware of it. When Victor describes how there’s a “definite history of reservation heroes who never finish high school,” he speaks as if he understands that this is a common track for reservation Indians to take. At the same time, however, he acknowledges that there are exceptions to this fate, so he’s both showing his understanding of the stereotype but also making sure to note that it’s not always true.

2.     The definition of a “hero” is a brave person that is recognized and idealized for courage and outstanding achievements. This shows how Alexie humanizes his characters by showing how on reservations–just like everywhere else in the world–there are heroes: there are brave people who have courage and determination. This knocks down stereotypes of reservation Indians being very underachieved and unaccomplished.

3.     “What they could have been:” could have has the intonation of being very passive, almost lazy. This is a recurring pattern we see with the characters in this story–two men who just sit around all day, waiting for something to happen; people using alcohol as an escape from reality. However, this seems to greatly encompass the stereotype of reservation Indians being very complacent and lethargic–but just because it stems from a stereotype, does that mean it’s untruthful? What is Alexie trying to do here? Is he admitting to a stereotype or trying to show that this one is truthful?

4.     This bit dives away from a stereotype by showing how reservation Indians do have a sense of community, do support each other, do get excited when one of their comrades succeeds. Although that isn’t quite what’s being shown in this particular part of the story, we do see this sense of pride and optimism when we see Victor hoping that Julius does make it. The natural feelings that communities of people have and share are often discounted and ignored when looking at the lives of reservation Indians, because we throw so many labels onto them that we forget the fact that they’re people too! And that they have human feelings just like we do!