As presented by: Stephen Biondo Christine Brandon Milton Lopez

1. “The approximate size of his favorite humor: Sherman Alexie’s comic connections and disconnections in The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven”By: Joseph L. Coulombe As presented by: Stephen Biondo Christine Brandon Milton Lopez

2. Coulombe’s basic thesis: • “Alexie’s humor is central to a constructive social and moral purpose evident throughout his fiction…He uses humor—or his characters use humor—to reveal injustices, protect self-esteem, heal wounds and create bonds.” (pg. 1)

3. The humor used by Alexie reveals many things in life. • “He use’s humor to reveal injustice, protect self-esteem, heal wounds, and create bonds” (Page 1) • A) Corliss’s thoughts while the man is trying to pick up the woman by quoting W.H. Auden. • B) When Corliss’s family is talking about “white folk”, which reveals injustice while her family is trying to create a bond with Corliss.

4. Alexie’s humor can go a multitude of ways. • “Alexie not only avoids the moral and social obligation to educate white readers and reinstall cultural pride in Indian readers, he also works actively against such goals with his humor” Page 1 • A) Richard fighting in a pickup basketball game, funny in a way but definitely give the readers and opportunity to look down upon Indians.

5. Alexie’shumor/stories gets you to contemplate similarities between your life and the character’s scenarios. • “Alexie’s humor unsettles conventional ways of thinking and compels re-evaluation and growth” (Page 2) • Not only humor, but overall story line. • Ex: Richard’s fight in basketball game

6. His humor can also “link different people together despite ethnic, racial and cultural boundaries.” • There are certain things that everyone can relate to, for instance, the need to find your own niche. We see this through Corliss, but we can also relate this need to belong, to our own lives, and that is something which is multicultural, everyone can relate to that drive.

7. Seymour + Corliss’ similarities • Seymour’s friends who are still at the reservation accuse him of selling out to white society, just as Corliss’s family does to her. • Alexie’s movies and books share similar ideas.

8. Some antics by character’s in the books brings up questions which the reader may have? • “Readers are not passive receptacles; they engage, question, resist, learn, and grow during the reading process.” Page 3 • Ex: Frank Snake Church’s retirement from basketball, then un-retiring 20+ years later. • This tells the audience that by going back to basketball he is “healing the wound” of his lost father.

9. Alexie truly wants you to think about these characters and the problems they face • Coulombe quotes Alexie saying, that his characters are “as fucked up as everybody else.” • Meaning that everyone deals with the same types of issues as these characters. • He strives to create characters which epitomize normalcy so that we can relate to them in some ways.

10. People swear change based on their guilt in the aftermath of a tragic event • “Attempting to rise above his tragic personal situation, he[Alexie] projects himself as a world-famous sports star” • Ex: Frank Snake Church when each of his parent’s die.

11. Through humor, you can discuss issues which are often considered unspeakable. • Alexie says, “You make people laugh and you disarm them. You sort of sneak up on them. You can say controversial or rowdy things and they’ll listen or laugh” • Coulombe adds, “He uses humor to draw readers in and entertain them; once he has them he communicates his world view, one that does not necessarily reflect the comforting, traditional American ideals of equal opportunity and democratic justice for all.”

12. Indigenous Blues Summary First it was humor, then mystery, and now a new language. That is how Sherman Alexie communicates his feelings about being a native Indian.

13. Douglas Fords’ article gives us another reason to see how confusing and complex Sherman Alexie is but yet very consistent in his style.

14. The attachment made to Catholicism by Alexie in order to show credibility.