In Sherman Alexie’s story “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona”, he explores the challenging life of two Native American Indian men named Victor and Thomas on the reservation. The story communicates the childhood memories, relationships, and cultural aspects of Thomas and Victor’s life in Spokane (Indian Reservation). In this story, Victor appeared to be mentally depressed because his father had died just after he lost his job. Although Victor’s father left Victor at very young age, Victor’s genetic pain made him think to travel to Phoenix. However, his poor financial situation left him with no other option than travelling with Thomas, an annoying storyteller and his childhood friend. The act of forgiveness, decency, and adaptive attitude help Victor to survive in his painful and deserted life.
The lack of family support and emptiness in Victor’s life made him to communicate and recover a friendly relationship with Thomas to overcome his hardships. As Victor was living in Spokane (the Indian reservation), his mother, and almost every members of a tribe were poor. During Victor’s childhood, he had many good as well as unpleasant memories with his childhood friend Thomas, who always have something to say. However, after Thomas was grown up,
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The story begins with describing Victor’s unfortunate situation, his loss, and pain. This tragic situation may have left him struggling with pain, internal crisis, anger, and loneliness that he could never bring him out of it. However, he chose to bring a change in his life and retrace his tribal ties to survive in his difficulties. Through the journey from Spokane to Phoenix with Thomas, Victor has triumphs to rise himself from the suffering, guilt, and emptiness by adapting the changes. He finds himself and survives in his ups and downs by decency, forgiveness, and