34 pages • 1 hour read
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Thomas, the novel’s protagonist, is a 32-year-old Spokane Indian. He is kind, compassionate, and forgiving. He is also lonely and somewhat of an outsider in his tribe. Despite describing his need to tell stories as a “disease,” Thomas is a strong believer in the healing and transformative power of songs and stories. Although not overly traditional, Thomas has faith in many of the old Indian ways and customs. In starting a band, he truly believes that he can help his people. He worries about the issues faced by the Indians on the reservation, such as poverty, lack of opportunity, and alcoholism. Thomas’s father is an alcoholic, but Thomas does not drink at all.
In his interactions with the other Indian characters, Thomas greets adversity with compassion. He lets Victor and Junior beat him up without ever fighting back. Thomas’s reluctance to stand up to his bullies comes not from a place of cowardice, but from an understanding of Victor’s and Junior’s own struggles. Thomas is always willing to help someone in need, no matter how that person may have treated him in the past. For example, when Victor’s father died, Thomas accompanied Victor to pick up his father’s ashes and even paid for Victor’s trip.
By Sherman Alexie
Flight
Flight: A Novel
Sherman Alexie
Indian Killer
Indian Killer
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On the Amtrak from Boston to New York City
On the Amtrak from Boston to New York City
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Reservation Love Song
Reservation Love Song
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Ten Little Indians
Ten Little Indians
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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
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The Facebook Sonnet
The Facebook Sonnet
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The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven
The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven
Sherman Alexie
The Toughest Indian in the World
The Toughest Indian in the World
Sherman Alexie
This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona
This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona
Sherman Alexie
War Dances
War Dances
Sherman Alexie
What You Pawn I Will Redeem
What You Pawn I Will Redeem
Sherman Alexie