In the chapter "Wake", the funeral for his Grandmother is held. Grandmother Spirit is carried to the fifty yard line of the football field above the ground. The people of the rez stopped hassling Junior. Junior writes "I was also the kid who lost his grandmother. And everybody knew that losing my grandmother was horrible." (159) Alexie uses this scene to prove that even when people are hating each other, they can still show compassion. Alexie also uses this phrase to show that the relationship between the tribe and Junior can still be healed. Near the end of the funeral when "Billionaire Ted" (160) is mistaken about the powwow out fit and is embarrassed the who tribe came together the whole tribe laughs together. This is interesting because throughout the novel the entire tribe has had a specific hatred toward Junior. However, when they all see a rich white man who is an "Indian lover" the whole tribe thinks it is amusing.
After the ceremony has ended Arnold writes "And all of us laughed as we walked and drove and rode our way back to our lonely, lonely houses." This entire sentence is ironic in a few ways. One way is that for the past two hours the whole tribe was mourning, laughing, and celebrating together. However, after that small point in time is over, they go back to the way they were, lonely and drunk. This is ironic because one second they are together and the next they go back to hating one another. The tribe is one moody person who can't decide what they are feeling.
This is an extremely powerful moment for Junior for a few reasons. One reason is he truly realizes how the rez works. Before, Junior just saw the rez as a bunch of angry, drunk, poor Indians. However, after this line he realizes why people drink so much. At first he thought it was because they had nothing else better to do. As the novel progresses he realizes that people drink because they are lonely. The second reason why this is so important is because Junior realizes that he isn't the only one who gets lonely. He notices that the tribe is just as lonely as he is at Rearden.
Do you think that Junior empathizes with the people on the rez when it comes to loneliness? Would you stop being mean to someone you hate if someone they knew died? What would you do in a situation like with Billionaire Ted? Explain.
I agree with Jai in many ways. I think the irony in "And all of us laughed as we walked back to our lonely, lonely houses." is also shone when Ted thought the powwow dress belongs to Grandmother Spirit but it isn't hers. Everybody laughed. And everybody would have laughed if the grandmother was alive. The only difference is that the laugh wouldn't be depressed, it would have been the laugh when you caught someone at an embarrassing moment. The laugh the rez laughed is one that couldn't be fully expressed, you would think it was funny how Ted was mistaken about the owner of the dress, but then you think of the owner who is dead, and you feel low all again.
ReplyDeleteI think Arnold would empathize with the people on the rez when it comes to loneliness. Before his grandmother died and after he started school at Reardan, Arnold already feels pretty lonely because there is not one person who would talk to him on the rez except for his family. But his grandmother is there for him and she was always encouraging him, telling him the right thing to do. But now his grandmother died, he feels even lonelier because now his grandmother isn't there for him anymore.
Yes, Junior definitely empathizes with the people on the Rez because they are lonely. He has felt the exact same way throughout his life. And this passage is showing that Junior is understanding that EVERYONE on the rez is lonely. They all were being cynical in this moment, savoring this small amount of happiness and joy, interrupting their drab, boring, and sad lives. I think that everyone at that moment realizes the irony, and they are laughing at that. About the tribe feeling bad for Junior because his grandmother died. I think that the tribe would feel bad for Junior no matter what, but they are more sympathetic because his grandmother was so prominent in the community. She was like a grandmother to all of them. Had grandma been some quiet old lady who never went out much, people would have showed up, but not all of them, and most certainly they wouldn't have stayed for ten hours sharing stories about her. Again, I think that all the tribe will get closer to Junior because it is all of their loss and they can connect with him over that loss.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jai. I think that Alexie uses this passage to show Junior’s contrasting feelings for Indians. A few chapters ago, Indians were booing, shunning, and throwing quarters at Junior. In thin chapter, they are sympathizing for him after he lost his grandmother. Although the kindness feels great, Junior gets even more lost in his identity. After the basketball game, Junior was feeling more white than Indian, and he was converging on finding who he is again. But, after the Indians are suddenly kind to Junior, he is lost who he is again. I think that the loss of his grandmother in a big step backwards in all regards, and I think that Junior will continue his fall from paradise in the following chapters.
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