Summary/Application

Summary

Coulombe, Joseph. “The Approximate Size of His Favorite Humor: Sherman Alexie’s Comic Connections and Disconnections in The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven” American Indian Quarterly 26 (winter 2002) : p. 94-115. Project Muse. Ohio University Lib. Athens, OH.

Columbe's article is a good interpretation of the message I believe Alexie was trying to give to his readers. he discusses different topics that show up in the novel such as the different ways humor is used to construct different social behaviors and also show that sometimes that humor can used be positive and negative ways. Coulombe starts his essay looking at what other critics had to say about Alexie's writings. many think he is disrespectful to Indian's and are making fun of the stereotypical Indian. Coulmbe thinks this is not the case. he believes Alexie's humor is used as a cover for the Indian pain and suffering by the hands of whites. he says that Victor uses humor because he is confused about his identity as many Indian people are. he sees the way whites have divided Indian land and forcing them to disconnect them fro their heritage. He also laughs at the fact that the big companies give his friends money for using their land. this cuts both ways, Coulmbe says. Victor corrects this "problem" and somewhat uneasily accepts the importance of traditions. Story- telling is one of those traditions that are used to increase some understanging.

the next point he shows how humor is used to mask real threats that a person may go through. he gives the example from the story "The Approximate Size of My Favorite Tumor". the character in the story, Jimmy, finds out he has cancer and when he goes home to his wife, he cracks joke after joke about it. from reading the story we can see that Jimmy is a funny uy who is always telling a joke. Jimmie uses the humor as a coping mechanism to cover the fears and sadness he may feel from the notion that he will eventually die from this disease. Coulmbe also sees Jimmy's humor as a form of denial.

the most important point I believe Coulmbe makes is the use of humor that stems from hundreds of years of persicution by white society. His example is from "Amusements" the story where Victor and Sadie put a drunk bum named Dirty Joe on a rollercoaster. the people in the crowd, white people, see this cruel joke and laugh and some are disgusted. many critics view this chapter as the epitome of any stereotype because Indians looking stupid and being side shows is what white want. Victor soon realizes his mistake and immediately feels guilty because he knows that this is what whites want to see Indians doing.

Application

According to Coulombe, white culture has influenced the home setting of Indians. and example would be from the chapter titled, "The Fun House". the protagonist is a wife and mother who is tired of the misogynist joked her husband and son are directing toward her. this is one of Alexie's bigges issues according to Coulombe. the one thing Indians didn't resist assimilation to was sexism and misogyny.

"I bet when that mouse ran up your pant leg, he was thinking, What the hell kind of mousetraps do they got now?" her husband said. (77)

the narrators aunt, who is the protagonist, is so dissappointed in her family that she decides to take herself away from the family for a while. when she returns, she puts on the beaded dress that is extremely heavy and takes a few steps. earlier in the chapter, she makes the statement that the woman who is able to wear the dress will be the one to save them. the fact that she herself is that woman gives her hope for the future and the notion that things will change. Coulombe also discusses the bitterness the woman may feel becasue at one point the U.S. government enacted a sterilization program for them. the aunt was given a permission slip to sign thinking it was only a form that proved she was Indian when in actuallity it was to have her tubes tied. Alexie is just is literally pointin a finger a white society that cares nothing about the rights of Indian women and Indian people in general.

Sherman, Alexie. The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. New York: Grove Press, 2005.