For this weeks assignment we were told to read Sherman Alexie's The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven. In reading the novel so far the one story that sticks out in my mind and is the one that I would like to highlight this week is the short story "Because My Father Always Said He Was The Only Indian Who Saw Jimi Hendrix Play 'The Star Spangled Banner' At Woodstock." In this short story there were a lot of different things that struck me as very interesting. The first thing that I thought while reading the story was how ironic it was that Victor's father loved Jimi Hendrix's "The Star Spangled Banner" above all because of the history between Native Americans and the English Settlers. The fact that Victor's father loves this song so much is ironic to me because of the statement that Victor's father makes while they were riding in the car. He said, "And besides why the hell would you want to fight a war for this country? It's been trying to kill Indians since the very beginning."
Another interesting statement that was in the story was in the conversation that Victor and his father were having about war. Victor almost seems like he feels something is wrong with his generation because they did not have any wars to fight. This was interesting to me because most people would feel blessed that there wasn't a war to fight in their lifetime. I really liked the statement that Victor's father makes, "That's all there is. War and peace with nothing in between. It's always one or the other."
Another thing that I found interesting was the part of the short story was the section where Victor is talking with his father about love and romance. In this passage he tells Victors that Hank Williams and Jimi Hendrix had the fact that they both knew about broken hearts in common with each other. This stuck out to me because I think that this is one of the biggest reasons that Victor's fathers liked Jimi Hendrix so much. Through out the story we are being told about how Victor's parents were fighting and how his father eventually ends up leaving them. He is heartbroken and possibly is so fond of Jimi Hendrix because he feels he can sympathize with him.
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I think it's cool that both you and Ray-Ray picked this story to blog about. I love this one!
ReplyDeleteYou're right, it's ironic that Victor's father loves "The Star-Spangled Banner." But do you think it's important that he loves Jimi Hendrix's version specifically? His "anthem" is experimental, unruly, and a bit irreverent (though totally beautiful, too). And Jimi was known for using music as a social statement.
As Alexie says through his narrator, Victor: "I figure music might just be the most important thing there is. Music turned my father into a reservation philosopher. Music had powerful medicine."
Nikki,
ReplyDeleteThat was definitely one of my favorite stories too, as I said in my blog. Only you pointed out some other really good facts. I guess I didn’t think about that a whole lot, the irony that Victors father loves Jimi Hendrix’s Star Spangled Banner. I liked how you made the point by talking about when he says "And besides why the hell would you want to fight a war for this country? It's been trying to kill Indians since the very beginning." Now I can’t stop wondering why he liked the song so much. Or maybe it was more just Jimi Hendrix that he liked, because like you said they both knew about broken hearts. But then why that particular song? And I’m sure there were plenty of people who had that in common, always have been. It’s interesting too what Dr. Kulbaga pointed out about that specific version of the song. It’s easier to see why Victor loves it so much, because his father was obsessed with it, and I think it made him feel connected to his dad.
Great post (and title too!) See ya Saturday,
Christina
Hi Nikki,
ReplyDeleteI also blogged about "Because My Father Always Said He was the Only Indian..." because it was one of my favorite chapters in the book. I agree with Dr. K. that it is interesting that Victor's father loves that particular version of the Star Spangled Banner. It is obvious why he would love that version to me because it is so "un-Star Spangled Banner" and really pissed a lot of people off when they heard it. However, if you really listen to it, it is a work of art. Even today, there are few who can play a guitar like that, and maybe no one just like that!
I loved this book, and I want to read it again - just for fun - when I don't have to analyze it quite so closely. Like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Sherman Alexie has a style all his own, and it is a style I really enjoy because of the richness.
Hope to see you Saturday!
Lou