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This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix, Arizona By Sherman Alexie

680 Words3 Pages

Despite a journey fueled by grief a friendship can be reborn with a new start for both parties. This is exemplified in “This Is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona” by Sherman Alexie when Victors father dies and he must travel to Phoenix, Arizona to retrieve his father’s personal belongings but he has financial trouble. He is able to scavenge $100 from the Tribal Council but it isn't enough to get to Phoenix, Arizona and back. When his strange old childhood friend, Thomas finds out about his father’s death he asks to tag along in exchange for the rest of the money Victor needs. Although the characterization in "This Is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona" by Sherman Alexie is exhibiting Victor as underprivileged throughout the story, he …show more content…

In “Phoenix…” Thomas’ personality changes Victor and it even goes as far as, “Victor knew that Thomas would remain the crazy storyteller who talked to dogs and cats, who listened to the wind and pine trees. Victor knew he couldn’t really be friends with Thomas, even after all that had happened. It was cruel but it was real.[...] ’I know how it is,’ Thomas said. ‘I know you ain’t going to treat me any better than you did before. I know your friends would give you shit about it.’ Victor was ashamed of himself. Whatever happened to the tribal ties, the sense of community? [...] He owed Thomas something, anything”(74). Thomas changes Victor because in the beginning story Thomas was not Victor’s friend since he is the community outcast and a strange person. Victor didn’t want to associate himself with Thomas because of his social standing in the community. But when Victor gets to know Thomas while on their journey to Phoenix, AZ Victor has a new attitude about Thomas. He realizes Thomas could be a friend, that he doesn’t deserve cruelness, and that he is similar to the boy Victor was friends with as a boy. The author, Alexie uses characterization to add to the overall message of the short story in particular, “‘Nothing stops, cousin,’ Thomas said. ‘Nothing stops’ [...]

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