Which Sends the Better Message?

After reading Alexie's composition of short stories and watching the movie that is based off of them, it is easy to see from a critical standpoint the differences between the two and what kind of ideas they are giving to the readers/viewer. The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven shows a realistic and almost disturbing view of life on the reservation centered around the problems many people face and alcoholism. Smoke Signals on the other hand shows a journey between two different young men who develop a comradship and the healing Victor must accomplish to forgive his father.

In an article written by Gordon E. Slethaug titled "Hurricanes and Fires: Chaotics in Sherman Alexie's Smoke Signals and The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, he discusses some interesting differences between the film and fiction. He argues that Alexie is almost too critical of Native Americans in this book and he mainly beleives that the message the author is trying to send is that no matter what has happened to them, Native Americans always survive on their own and will continue to do so. Slethaug also says that in the book the chaos is centered around Victor's life, and in the movie it is around Thomas's life. We also get a very different view of specific characters which will also be discussed in this blog.