Change In Smoke Signals By Chris Eyre

He is very optimistic and loves to talk and tell stories. As these two individuals set out on the journey to Arizona to retrieve Thomas’s dad’s ashes after they learn that he has passed, they also begin to discover themselves in the a new and “foreign” world. While on this journey,Victor’s

In the movie Smoke Signals by Sherman Alexie; one of the main characters is Thomas Builds-the-fire. It all begins around three in the morning when his parents held the biggest house barbecue for the entire world to see. Thomas Builds-the-fire, he is the child of fire and ashes. Nevertheless, he never had the opportunity to meet his parents from then on. In addition, he lives, talks, and acts like his grandma. Thomas Builds-the-fire has a strong soul and the potential to give hands when needed.

The movie Smoke Signals is based on Native American reservation. It follows the story of Victor and Thomas Builds-the-Fire, two young men who travel to Phoenix, Arizona to collect the remains of Victor’s father that recently pasted from a heart attack. The movie addresses issues such as alcoholism, behavior, personality, and lifestyles. The use of alcohol is addressed in many ways throughout the movie.

Smoke Signals is a movie written by Sherman Alexie and directed by Chris Eyre that deals with many social issues in modern Native American cultures. The film follows the journey of two Coeur d’Alene Indians, Victor and Thomas, as they travel from their reservation in Oregon to Phoenix, AZ in order to gather the personal artifacts of Victor’s father who has recently died. Along the way, Thomas helps Victor to understand and forgive his father, who left the family when Victor was a young boy. Victor’s father, Arnold Joseph, saved both of the boys from a fire that he inadvertently caused on the 4th of July when the boys were mere babies. Although the boys were saved, Thomas’s parents both died in the blaze.

In Sherman Alexie’s short story, “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona”, Victor, a poor Indian man, finds out that his father is dead but Victor doesn't have the money to bring him home. After claiming one hundred dollars from the Tribal Council, Thomas, the outcast on the reservation, offers to give Victor money to retrieve his father's ashes, but Victor has to take Thomas with him. Victor agrees to take Thomas with him. They fly to Phoenix, get the ashes and money from the father’s savings account, and drive home in Victor's father's pickup truck. During the trip to and from Phoenix Victor and Thomas remembered the memories of their friendship and Victor’s father.

Burning Emotions The film Smoke Signals, screen written by Sherman Alexie, shows how the characters change throughout the movie and it progresses to the idea that there is a transformative nature in fire. There are numerous plot events in the film Smoke Signals in which fire changes the characters persona. More specifically the different events involving fire that occur are a Fourth of July fire and a fire in which Suzy Song burns down the trailer of Arnold. The screen writer uses these fires to progress the characters personas throughout the movie changing them from pillars of flame to pillars of ash and vice versa.

The film “Smoke Signals” takes place in a Indian reservation in Idaho. The main characters, Victor and Thomas are represented by the symbol of fire and ash. Both of the boys were saved from a burning building as infants. The Indian reservation and the symbol of fire and ash works together to create the theme of forgiveness. This is especially seen in Victor because he has a lot of anger built up, as he thought he was the reason behind his father leaving.

14) Revealed in a vision to Thomas, Victor’s father advice was to take care of eachother. Thomas completes the advice by accompanying Victor to Phoenix, Arizona to pick up the ashes and claim the money. He also helped him financially,

Mikey’s dad was so upset that he set fire on something he put his hard work and hours on building. The building was a library called “The Victorian”. Mikey’s dad was so angry that a loved one had died that he was not thinking clearly. In a matter of second something you worked hard on becomes ashes. Many people react right away that they do not take the time to make out all their options.

According to the text, the author states, “Things really started to go downhill between them when Dad took that construction job. We were living in a house that was really too much for him to afford and with Dad spending generously on his friends there was a terrific strain. Dad would be due home on a Friday, but if it had rained, there wouldn’t have been work, so he would pass the day away with his buddies. He’d have cashed his check, but there wouldn’t be a whole lot left by the time he got home.

Victor Joseph’s portrayal of the classic Native American man is exemplified by Alexie’s use of dialogue, costumes, and flashbacks. For example, when Victor sees Thomas smiling as they ride their way to Arizona he says, “Indians ain’t supposed to smile like that. Get stoic” (Smoke Signals). This example of dialogue reveals how Victor believes a Native American man should present himself traditionally, which strongly contrasts with Thomas’s demeanor and appearance. Victor continues on, saying, “Look at your hair, it’s all braided up and stuff. You gotta free it. An Indian man ain’t nothing without his hair.” (Smoke Signals). Hair design is used to symbolize Victor’s close ties with his ancestral past as a Native American. Additionally, Victor’s comment on hair foreshadows when Victor himself cuts his hair, symbolizing a moment in which Victor embraces his traumatic past by accepting who he is as a person. In a more literal sense, flashbacks are also used to symbolize the trauma that Victor experienced in his direct past - living with an alcoholic father, Arnold Joseph, who abandoned him. However, by the end of the movie, Victor embraces this past through the spreading of his father’s ashes.

This movie had two main actors, Thomas and Victor. When both of them were babies, Victor’s dad Alvin accidentally catches a home on fire and kills Thomas’s parents. Alvin does manage to save Thomas and Victor from the fire. Due to the traumatizing experience, Alvin begins to drink heavily and abuse his son. Alvin never admitted to his tribe that he caught the home on fire and Thomas has to go wondering for majority of his life. When Victor is a child, Alvin divorces his wife and moves away. Quickly into the movie it is obvious and Thomas and Victor have different personalities, Thomas is nerdy and Victor is more of a jock. Victor cares what other people think about him and wants them to perceive him as a tough indian, which always looks as though he just killed a buffalo. Partially into the movie Alvin dies, Thomas and Victor must go to Alvin’s residents to pick up his remains. Once his receives his fathers ashes, he finds out the truth about him catching Thomas’s home on fire.

Throughout the story Victor replays moments in his mind. Times when he and Thomas were best of friends. Times when he loved listening to Thomas' visions about life and stories with hidden lessons. Times when Thomas was there for him and even a time when Thomas helped to save his life. The good memories turn to visions of Victor turning his back on his best friend. Victor is faced with the reality of his cruel actions and choices. Of how he chose to go with the rest of the 'pack' and attack the 'weak' one. Victor recalls being drunk when he was fifteen and beating up Thomas for the fun of it. How all of the other boys on the reservation just stood and watched and how he may have continued beating Thomas

Sam wheels into her driveway where another large Black SUV she is unfamiliar with is parked behind her father’s car. As she gets out she walks up behind it and notices the Georgia plates on the back. Who could her father be talking to now? She was tired and just wanted to eat and go to bed. Her father and she had a tenuous relationship at best. Oh, she loved and respected him but they both had dynamic and strong personalities that often clashed. Her father had never remarried after her mother’s death but she had her suspicion of other relationships, which she wished her father had pursued. It was not good for him or anyone to be alone maybe that is why she still lived with him. To give him that emotional support and just take care of him. It had been touchy for the most part with good and bad days but lately though it had become strained. He had been drinking more and had become a little more sullen than usual often retreating to his room and not coming out for hours. She tried talking to him about it but it only resulted in more arguing. So she had just come to realize that he needed space for what she did not know.

screaming in pain. This later causes Nick to plead with his father asking, “Oh, Daddy can’t you