Humor And Violence In Sherman Alexie's Flight

Coulombe’s article analyzes the use of humor and violence in Sherman Alexie novel. Throughout the novel, Flight, humor can be used in effort to break barriers, create friendships, establish cultural unity, or destroy people or organizations. Coulombe attempt to argue these points pulling out examples from the text.
In the beginning of Flight Zit identifies himself as “funny,” ( Alexie 17) often sharing in the laughter with characters. Alexie’s treatment of humor shifts from criticism to violence. Zits is aware of his own violent use of humor. When discussing with the psychiatrist who told him that he was trying to fill an emotional absence, Zits replies, “And do you know what I said to him? ‘You can stick your head up your hairy puss-filled absence.’ Ha, ha, ha, ha. Isn’t that funny? I threw a pun in his face. Of course, it was a violent pun, so maybe that doctor was right about me” (Alexie 27). In another instance, Zits becomes mad and tells the kid off, saying, “I don’t care if he’s a fag. I just know that fag is a powerful insult” (Alexie 21). Coulombe argues although Alexie is a kid, he understands the power of words and its emotional

Alexie shows this in a variety of ways, Particularly through his first transformation. Taking the body of FBI agent Hank, Zits becomes upset with Art for pushing him yelling, “ That's police brutality!’ I shout. The cop just laughs I’ve always been good at making cops laugh. But I'm not trying to be funny this time.” (Alexie 39). Zits normally controls a situation through the use of his wit distancing himself from others. Fortunately his new body has granted him a new opportunity to see things differently. Art believes Hank is trying to connect through the use of humor, even though this is exactly the opposite of what Zit does. Therefore the use of humor becomes not effective in Zit’s