"This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona" is a short story by Sherman Alexie that is about two Native American men, Victor and Thomas-Builds-the-Fire, who go on a journey to Phoenix, Arizona to retrieve the ashes of Victor's father. Victor and Thomas were once childhood friends, however, it is later revealed that they are no longer friends and have a struggling relationship with one another. As the story continues, Victor and Thomas make their way through the journey and encounter various challenges and obstacles that force them to reflect on various aspects of their past relationship with each other. The story ultimately ends with Victor and Thomas back at the reservation, saying their final goodbyes. Despite the fact that Victor and …show more content…
As it is described by Joseph Campbell in his book "The Hero with a Thousand Faces," The typical phases of the hero's journey include the call to adventure, the trip into the unknown, and the return with newfound knowledge and understanding. When Victor accepts the call to start his adventure, he is forced to confront his emotions and put an end to his strained relationship with Thomas. Victor travels with Thomas and learns significant lessons along the way, giving him a greater sense of purpose and identity as he returns home. Victor gains consciousness throughout his journey and eventually breaks free from the destructive patterns that have held him back. Through the journey of Victor and Thomas-Builds-the-Fire, the reader is given a glimpse into the complex relationships between Native Americans and the challenges they face in modern society in preserving their culture. Victor's journey isn't just a physical one, but a spiritual one as well. His journey of self-exploration and cultural reconnection acts as the key central idea, allowing him to better understand his place in the world, recognizing his dire need to move forward and find a sense of belonging in the
His unresolved childhood and relationship with his father has been transformed because of this journey and also with the help of Thomas, and the neighbor, also the processing of his memories. This film is like the quote by psychologist, Carl Jung, “The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.” Thomas and Victor’s contrasting personalities integrated and made Victor reborn into a more healed self. Thomas didn’t really change that much though which is alright because he is not having much inner conflict. This film is about how you can’t change the past, but you can change how you handle it.
A man named Joseph Campbell made a perfect archetype for the main character called “The Hero’s Journey.” Often described as three parts the separation, the initiation, and lastly the return. For the character to develop oneself as a person he or she will cross a point of “The Hero’s Journey” when they meet a mentor.
Victor is a mortal and for this reason he finds himself trapped in mortal emotions, revenge
Victor has worked for a majority of his life chasing the idea of expanding his intellectual worth believing once obtained he would find reward; however his life proves quite the contrary. Victor’s pursuit came at the cost of losing the joy connected with the simplest things, as well as losing everything important to him, and causes Victor a life consumed by fear and pain. Victor’s growth allows himallows for him to recognize
Victor's curiosity feeds into his search for ways to cheat death, and his ultimate choice to play God and create life against the natural laws. This path leads to his downfall at the end of the novel. Victor's curiosity begins at a fundamental stage in his childhood, causing a turn in his path, and changing the course of his life forever. As a
Warriors of Phoenix, Arizona Cowardice can take many forms and many shapes, yet in this tale, it’s primarily about being afraid of what others think about you. ‘’This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona’’, by Sherman Alexie, is a short story about Thomas-Builds-The-Fire and Victor, on his journey to recover his father’s ashes. Victor is a coward, of which there is no doubt. He had proved it time and time again by the time this three-page story had reached its end.
As Victor loses his friends and loved ones, he loses his humanity, therefore supporting the notion of experience shaping an individual’s personality. While telling Walton about his experiments, Victor says, “If my incantations were always unsuccessful, I attributed the failure rather to my own inexperience and mistake, than to a want of skill or fidelity in my instructors”
It's in these classes that he becomes obsessed with life and creating it. It has the idea of creating a life from pieced together with buried people's body parts. Victor spends his university days creating a plan and system to make his dream come
Victor is a character who is obsessed with science and the pursuit of knowledge. He spends most of his time in his laboratory, isolated from the world around him. However, nature has a profound impact on Victor. It is through nature that Victor finds comfort and solace.
Throughout the novel, Victor performs various
While in college, Victor begins research and decides that he wants to know how to create life. He finally discovers it after months and says he “paused, examining and analyzing all the minutes of causation, as exemplified in the change from life to death, and death to life, until from the midst of this darkness a sudden light broke in upon me...”(38). This point in the novel is a huge turning point for Victor’s character, because now that he has achieved his desire to know how to create human life, he now wants to test it out and create a person out of nothing. From this point forward, Victor’s life begins to go downhill and his own destruction, alongside the
The isolation has caused him to become fragile and regretful. Victor becomes stuck in a relentless cycle of regret and a desire for success. This idea is proven when he states “My limbs now tremble, and my eyes swim with the remembrance; but then a resistless, and almost frantic impulse, urged me forward”. His obsession of creating life torments Victor every time he considers quitting or simply resting. The danger of solitude is further emphasized in this
Victor’s relationship with his father is caring and supportive, and his treatment of Victor as a child greatly impacts his later decisions in life. Victor’s parents raise him with attention and lavish him with gifts but fail to raise him emotionally; they put pressure on him to fulfill their every wish. Victor describes his childhood as idyllic
It's in these classes that he becomes obsessed with life and creating it. It has the idea of creating a life from pieced together with buried people's body parts. Victor spends his university days creating a plan and system to make his dream come
Indigenous culture has been unknown for many decades in Canada. Storytelling in Indigenous communities is especially important, but often the most ignored. The short story “This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix, Arizona” by Sherman Alexie demonstrates the different kinds of criticism of Indigenous storytelling. The story follows a man, Victor, collecting his father’s ashes with his estranged childhood friend Thomas. Furthermore, it explores the importance of stories and how it can change perspectives of people.