The book Indian Killer by Sherman Alexie was amazing. I really enjoyed reading this novel because it was entertaining, thought provoking, and very emotional throughout. Alexie used many little details to paint a picture in my mind about the characters and their surroundings; their dreams and struggles. John Smith, being adopted, was dead from the start, as it stated in the book. When I read that, it made sense, and I understood where the story was going. John had always imagined this life on a reservation, which opened my eyes into how much John felt out of place living with his white parents, who loved him and gave him everything. He ultimately wanted to Feel like an Indian. Father Duncan had taught John many things about Indians, and when he disappeared, John lost it. He always had dreams about the desert, more like visions, and always heard music, when he was awake. I believe this was a mental illness, set on by his obessions to be Indian and Father Duncans disappearance; being alone. John's want to Kill a white man was part of this obession. He believed the white man ruined everything, because from the very second he was born, he was ripped away from this mother and given to a White couple.
Marie was a very powerful character who I felt was strong, even though she felt struggle everyday. Her passion about Indians was inspiring, and her fight made me realize how someones culture or origin can be so important to how one feels. She hated Jack Wilson and Dr. Mathers because they wanted to be Indian, "pretending" they were. She saw them as being White.
Throughout this whole novel, it is a struggle. A racial struggle. Reading this book really made me emotional because we are all humans, no matter what color our skin is. And to read this power struggle between races really got me to think. People actually think this way all the time, even today. When something big happens, such as the Indian Killer, people go crazy and turn on each other. The Indian Killer, whether Indian or not, was a Symbol. It symbolized racism. Once people began to die, everyones true colors came out. It also symbolizes the Indians struggle to survive in a world where white men think they are better. At the end, it said the Indian Killer danced and danced, and thousands of other Indians showed up and learned the song and dance; as owls kept coming to sit in the tree. This just allowed us to understand that more violence was going to come, and more people were going to die, all for trying to get a point across. A great point at that, and I believe also that the Indian Killer needed to happen, such as all the other Indians stated.
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i believe it was john, and that is why he became so anxious and so overwhelmed by the thought of marie seeing him beating wilson the first time with the bat. i saw that as him wanting to keep a low profile so he wouldt get caught and here he was fighting with two men. though the author did not say a name when the killer was present i felt as though he described them the same way he did john. i also wonder why he would of brought wilson to the skyscraper and threaten him, if he had not of committed the other crimes as well.
ReplyDeleteLike i have said in other posts, I also thought this novel was sad. The way people treat people is unbelievable in some cases. I don't want to be a hypocrite because I know I don't always treat people perfect, but I never think it is right to cut someone down simply because of the color of their skin or because of some type of disorder they may have either mentally or physically. There is always going to be a power struggle between races. This is because it is in our nature to want to have the most power. That is never going to change unless we all become one race. So you believe that the Indian Killer needed to happen? That is interesting. I haven't really thought about that until I read it in your post. I think retaliation is needed at times, but is killing others taking it too far? I guess that is up for interpretation.
ReplyDeleteAleesha, I like the fact that you appreciate Marie as she did stand up for her culture. She also was very vocal about the white man, revealing her own prejudices.The owl representation as a symbol of a ruthless and brutal killer was also enlightening. The owl feathers left behind showed an intense hatred for the white man as the killer ate the eyeballs of Justin Summers and the heart out of the last victim. I believe that is one of the great wars to come. Those being formed from racism and hate and revenge. It's too bad that everyone can't just use love as a tool, knowing that no two people are exactly alike. I do believe that the killer is John, as he was picking out the different knives and carried the first victim to the vacant house. Father Duncan and John are definately connected in some way. John is mentally ill and hears and sees father Duncan before the killer seems to strike.
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