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Sherman Alexie's Superman And Me

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Analysis of “Superman and me” “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and me” is a very interested story written by Sherman Alexie. Alexie was a motivated 3 year old Spokane Indian boy from the Washington State reservation, who loved to read. He learn how to read from looking through Superman comic books and assuming the picture were meaning a certain thing. The little boy and his family grew up on an Indian reservation, and was label as middle class people in accordance to the reservation standards. Growing up on this reservation the little boy was told that Native American should be dumb and unintelligent. He never fell into that stereotype, he didn’t act like the other students when he was told to be quiet. He stated that “I am smart, I am arrogant, I am lucky, and I am trying to save our lives.” His Father loved to read his books, and his love for his father motivated him to read as well. From him following his Father step he later …show more content…

He knew from being a smart Indian he would be consider a dangerous person, but also knew it would make him an outsider. In order for him to be accepted by the Indians, he knew that he had to fail in life. Alexie refuses to accept that lifestyle, and states that “I refused to fail. I was smart. I was arrogant. I was lucky.” (Alexie, p. 585) Alexie wanted more for himself and didn’t want to be labelled as a dumb Indian, like everyone expected him to be. He wanted to learn and didn’t care if he had to fight his classmates every day. Another thing to take in this essay is, Alexie love for his Father. Alexie Father was a positive role model for him, and that made him want to be just like his Father. If his Father never had a love for books the way he did, then who knows where Alexie might have ended up. Maybe his expectations would have been a little different? Maybe he would have just been labelled as a dumb

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In The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me by Sherman Alexie, Alexie states “A smart Indian is a dangerous person, widely feared and ridiculed by Indians and non-Indians alike” (Alexie 364). I would have to disagree with this statement. He is making it sound like just because he is a minority that received somewhat of an education, he should be feared by others. I believe that anyone who is smart and forceful in a community is dangerous because they have the willpower to go to any lengths to uphold their beliefs. On the other hand, I also believe that just because you are smart, you don’t necessarily have to be feared.

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Superman And Me Sherman Analysis

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Sherman is attempting to save children’s lives by teaching them the importance of education and not all students take advantage of that. In the story Superman and Me Sherman mentioned, “They wanted me to stay quiet when the non-indian teacher asked for answers, for volunteers, for help.” These students may feel different when a non-indian teacher asks for things because it might be out of their comfort zone. Also, Indian children are expected to fail to be accepted by other Indians in school.

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Alexie, Sherman, “Superman and Me: The Joy of Reading and Writing.” Los Angeles Times, 19 April 1998. Sherman Alexie shared how his childhood of reading helped him become a better reader and a leader for others. He first read a Superman comic and then went on to bigger and better books. Alexie explains that in his Native American reservation it’s okay for children not to excel in school.

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Analyzing Sherman Alexie's Superman And Me

578 Words | 3 Pages

In the text, “Superman and Me,”One main quote that explains everything you need to know about this article is when Sherman Alexie says, “I wasrefused to fail. I was smart. I was lucky.” Many people that have read this choose to believe that this quote is just an irritating repetition of how he felt about himself, however, closer examination shows that it actually develops his main claim and central idea, refines his claims, and shows the purpose of this text all in one quote. Alexie was a young, Indian boy who just wanted to know how to read in write in the aspiration of becoming emotionally closer to his father because he loved him so.

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571 Words | 3 Pages

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