“Semiotics is the study of sign or symbol systems. Several of the literary theories that we've read about and discussed this semester investigate the idea of representation. What significant symbols do you notice in Alexie's novel?”
***To be up-front, I’m not an English major and am really inept at this sort of critical thinking, so please bear with me throughout the following post***
Arnold could be considered a symbol for all Native Americans who have felt they have to choose between what the “white world” has to offer and their own cultural heritage. Through the story of Arnold, Alexie can be said to have told the stories of many other Indians.
From the way it is portrayed in the novel, the Indian reservation serves to hold back its inhabitants and keep them in a never ending and self-enforcing cycle of poverty, etc. It could also be thought of as maybe a physical representation of aspects of Arnold’s character and personality that he must in a way leave behind to become successful. He must overcome his self-doubt and fear to be successful in his new school.
His school could be a symbol of the “white world” in general—the world in which he must seemingly conform and fit in to be successful. The kids from the town who go to the school are born knowing the rules for survival in the school. Following this line of thought, white people are born knowing the rules for survival in this society. Arnold, and other non-white people, must learn and adapt to these rules in order to survive.
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Hi Margaret!
ReplyDeleteI think you did a very good job of delineating the various symbols in the novel. While I feel like you made some pretty large generalizations, I understood the steps of extrapolation you took to get there. I think that the Indian vs. white people distinction was appropriate considering the cartoon in the novel, especilaay. Gret job!
Molly