Smoke Signals Essay
The movie Smoke Signals directed by Chris Eyre illustrates more than just one young man's journey to reclaim the ashes of his father and solve the mystery of who he believed him to be. Victor and his reluctant friend Thomas's journey to make post-mortem amends with a man who is shrouded in half-truths is woven with very complete and real truths about the Native American community. The two teens wrestle with struggles rooted in their Native American history when finding their unique identities and discovering what being Native American means to them and with stereotypes that are evident in interactions on-screen of Victor, Thomas and a policemen who brews unwarranted suspicion around the boys on behalf of the stereotype that Native Americans are less trustworthy and susceptible to alcohol than others. The plot is further intertwined with examples of how empowering Native American cultural tradition is in the scenes depicting the making and sharing of flatbread recipes between family and community members and in Native American history when Susie Song shares the story of her attendance of a nationwide gathering of Native Americans.
Victor carries with him not only the memories and events of his less-than-perfect earlier years but also a headstrong idea of how one should outwardly act and express his identity as a Native American. He tells Thomas how he should wear his long hair and how to conduct himself around the white people he encounters and this need to uphold his indifferent and stalwart exterior prevents him from making a friend in an olympics alternate on the bus. If not for the testimony made by another woman against her husband, the account made by a drunk and abusive white man would have sent Victor and Thomas to jail against their protests of innocence as a direct result of the stereotype that Native Americans are less likely to tell the truth and more likely to have been drunk the night before.
Along with shouldering a past that belongs to not only himself but his ancestors and friends also comes moments of shared connection and empowerment with others who bear that very same history. Victor, Thomas and Susie all discuss the topic of flatbread, a cultural tradition belonging to Native American families and Thomas powerfully recounts a tale of Victor's mother's flatbread, a testimony to its positive effect on other members of the community and pride with which he swells would put a lion to shame. Susie tells Victor a story about her attendance of a massive gathering of Native American's on a national level and her wonder is evident in every word.
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Victor carries with him not only the memories and events of his less-than-perfect earlier years but also a headstrong idea of how one should outwardly act and express his identity as a Native American. He tells Thomas how he should wear his long hair and how to conduct himself around the white people he encounters and this need to uphold his indifferent and stalwart exterior prevents him from making a friend in an olympics alternate on the bus. If not for the testimony made by another woman against her husband, the account made by a drunk and abusive white man would have sent Victor and Thomas to jail against their protests of innocence as a direct result of the stereotype that Native Americans are less likely to tell the truth and more likely to have been drunk the night before.
Along with shouldering a past that belongs to not only himself but his ancestors and friends also comes moments of shared connection and empowerment with others who bear that very same history. Victor, Thomas and Susie all discuss the topic of flatbread, a cultural tradition belonging to Native American families and Thomas powerfully recounts a tale of Victor's mother's flatbread, a testimony to its positive effect on other members of the community and pride with which he swells would put a lion to shame. Susie tells Victor a story about her attendance of a massive gathering of Native American's on a national level and her wonder is evident in every word.
889698999888888787978-
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