Because of colonization, the lives of Victor, Thomas and most of those who live on the reservation, have been predetermined in a way. Many Native Americans like Victor and his parents rely on alcohol to keep their minds off of the fact that they might never have a life outside of their reservation. Victor’s father would even hit him when he was intoxicated out of frustration because he feels as if he has no control over his own life. Thomas himself has told Victor that his father \u201cWants to buy a motorcycle and ride away. He wants to run and hide (Paragraph 15)\u201d. As we continue to read the story, we see that this kind of behavior rubs off on Victor. One day when they were 15, he got drunk and beat Thomas up without a reason. However, in the movie \u201cSmoke Signals\u201d, we see that this incident occurs on the same day that his father abandoned them, which reflects back to the way his father treated him when he would get drunk. In the second paragraph of \u201cThis is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona\u201d, the narrator points out that most of the residents had no money but the \u201cCigarette and Fireworks salespeople\u201d. This reveals what most of the locals would spend their money on to keep themselves distracted. These examples show us how colonization has created setbacks for not only Victor but those around him and like him as well. Not only has it made living difficult but in the movie, we see how Victor feels as if he has to be strong and serious all the time so others will take seriously. He tells Thomas that Indians aren\u2019t supposed to be smiling all the time and he has to \u201cget stoic\u201d. Victor feels as if he can\u2019t be vulnerable because he\u2019s Native American and wants others like him to embody this idea as well.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Because of colonization, the lives of Victor, Thomas and most of those who live on the reservation, have been predetermined in a way. Many Native Americans like Victor and his parents rely on alcohol to keep their minds off of the fact that they might never have a life outside of their reservation. Victor’s father … Continue reading “This is what it means to say Pheonix, Arizona”<\/span>