Sherman Alexie’s Flight: Identity & Trauma

Sherman Alexie is the author of Flight. Flight is a complex novel. Michael is the protagonist of Flight. Michael experiences body switching in the novel. Body switching is a literary device. Literary device enhances storytelling. Throughout Flight, Michael inhabits the bodies of various historical figures. Historical figures are connected to the history of Native Americans. Native Americans are the focus of much of Alexie’s work. The novel Flight explores themes of identity and trauma. Identity and trauma are central to the Native American experience.

• Sherman Alexie, a name synonymous with modern Native American literature, doesn’t just write stories; he carves them from the raw realities of identity, culture, and resilience. His voice is a vital one, cutting through the noise with a blend of humor, pain, and unflinching honesty.

• In his novel, _Flight_, Alexie takes us on a wild ride with Zits, a troubled Native American teenager whose life is anything but ordinary. Imagine waking up not in your bed, but in the body of someone else, in a different time, facing challenges you never could have imagined. That’s Zits’s reality. One minute he’s a kid on the brink, the next he’s a 1920s crop duster, an FBI agent, and more! This isn’t just a time-travel story; it’s a rollercoaster through history and the human condition.

• So, buckle up! In this blog post, we’re diving deep into _Flight_ to explore the themes that make it so powerful: identity, trauma, and the long, hard road to redemption. We’ll dissect the characters, their struggles, and how they reflect the broader issues Alexie tackles.

• Ever wondered how one book can make you laugh, cry, and question everything you thought you knew about history and identity? Stick around, because we’re about to unpack the enduring impact of Sherman Alexie’s _Flight_. How does a character’s journey through time actually change their understanding of self? Let’s take _Flight_!

Meet Zits/Michael: The Protagonist’s Tumultuous Quest for Self

Alright, buckle up buttercups, because we’re diving headfirst into the mind of Zits, the poster child for teenage angst, but with a supernatural twist! This ain’t your average coming-of-age story; Sherman Alexie throws us into the deep end with a character whose very name screams insecurity and alienation. Imagine being a kid already struggling to find your place, and then you’re saddled with a moniker like that. Ouch, right?

Zits isn’t just some kid with bad skin; he’s a young Native American boy swimming in a sea of foster homes, battling a system that seems designed to break him down. His troubled background is like a tangled fishing net, trapping him in a cycle of anger, hopelessness, and destructive behavior. Think of him as a pressure cooker, simmering with resentment and desperately searching for an outlet. And that outlet, initially, isn’t pretty. He’s got a chip on his shoulder the size of a small car, and he’s not afraid to let it show.

But here’s the kicker – this isn’t just a tale of teenage rebellion. It’s a journey of self-discovery disguised as a wild, time-traveling rollercoaster. Zits’s transformation into Michael is more than just a name change; it’s a symbol of his evolving identity, his slow crawl toward understanding who he is and where he belongs. “Michael” represents a chance for a fresh start, a blank slate on which he can rewrite his story.

His time in foster care is a HUGE piece of this puzzle. These experiences, often negative and isolating, leave deep scars on Zits, shaping his worldview and fueling his desire for connection, however misguided. Each foster home is a chapter in his life, adding layers of complexity to his already troubled character. They underscore his sense of rootlessness and contribute to his burning desire to find a place where he truly belongs. So, get ready to unpack this complex character because Zits/Michael is about to take us on a wild ride through time, trauma, and the search for something real.

Supporting Characters: Influences on Zits’s Trajectory

Alright, let’s dive into the supporting cast—because, let’s face it, even superheroes need their sidekicks (or, in Zits’s case, maybe just people who make his life slightly less chaotic).

Justice: A Brotherly Dose of Chaos

Justice, Zits’s foster brother, is like that one friend who’s always got your back but also gets you into trouble. He’s a mix of loyalty and questionable decisions, and their relationship is basically a crash course in how complicated brotherhood can be. Justice isn’t just a random character; he’s the yardstick by which Zits measures loyalty. Does Justice betray him? Does Justice support him? How does betrayal affects him? Their connection reveals a lot about Zits’s evolving moral compass and his struggle to find someone he can rely on.

Hank Storm: The Ghostly Father Figure

Then there’s Hank Storm, Zits’s absent father. Oh, the drama! Hank’s absence is like a gaping hole in Zits’s life, shaping his sense of self in all sorts of messed-up ways. He’s the missing piece that Zits is constantly searching for, whether he realizes it or not. This absence fuels Zits’s yearning for a father figure, influencing his actions and decisions throughout the novel. It’s like he’s trying to fill that void with whatever he can find, leading him down some pretty wild paths. Is Zits looking for a father or a sense of belonging? Either way, Hank Storm’s absence is very significant to the story.

The Core Themes of *Flight*: A Tapestry of Trauma and Hope

Identity: Finding a Place in Two Worlds

Zits, bless his heart, is all over the place, isn’t he? He’s got this whole Spokane/Coeur d’Alene thing mixed in with trying to figure out what it means to be a modern-day Native American kid. It’s like he’s got one foot in the rez and the other tripping over the sidewalk. His time-travel jaunts? Those aren’t just for kicks; they’re like identity scavenger hunts. He’s piecing together who he is by hopping through history, seeing bits and pieces of his heritage. It’s all about that struggle with feeling like you don’t quite belong anywhere, that cultural alienation, and desperately searching for your tribe, your spot, your people.

Violence and Trauma: Confronting a Painful Legacy

Alexie doesn’t pull any punches, does he? He throws us right into the thick of it with the violence, both past and present, against Native Americans. And it ain’t pretty. This trauma seeps into everything about Zits – his anger, his distrust, the way he sees the whole darn world. Think about the boarding school scenes, the battles, the casual cruelty. These aren’t just historical footnotes; they’re wounds that keep getting reopened, impacting how Zits acts and reacts in his own life. It’s a heavy load, and Alexie makes sure we feel the weight of it.

Redemption and Forgiveness: A Chance at Healing

Here’s where things get a little bit brighter, maybe? Zits isn’t just doomed to repeat history; he gets a shot at changing his own story. Those time-travel trips? They’re not just history lessons; they’re chances. A chance to see things differently, to make different choices. Is he gonna grab it? That’s the big question! And can he actually forgive himself for all the crap he’s done, been through, and witnessed? Can he forgive the folks who hurt him? Forgiveness – of yourself and others – is like the secret sauce to the healing process.

Fatherhood and Family: The Missing Pieces

Poor Zits. It always comes back to family, doesn’t it? Or, in his case, the lack of it. That missing dad, Hank Storm, hangs over everything. He needs that connection, that male role model to fill that void. Zits needs him to be a whole person but without him, he feels like the Missing Pieces. His journeys through time show him glimpses of family in different forms, reminding us all how essential those bonds are, even when they’re broken or absent. It’s like Alexie is saying, “Even when blood ties are frayed, the need for a tribe, a family, doesn’t go away.”

Perspective and Empathy: Walking in Another’s Shoes

Time travel isn’t just a cool plot device; it’s Alexie’s way of making us step into someone else’s moccasins. Zits gets to see things from completely different angles, and it (hopefully) forces him—and us—to grow some empathy. The novel’s basically screaming at us to ditch our biases, challenge our own viewpoints, and try to understand where other folks are coming from, even if we don’t agree with them. It’s a lesson we could all use a refresher on, am I right?

Spokane, Washington: Zits’s Urban Battleground

Spokane, Zits’s hometown, isn’t just a backdrop; it’s practically another character in Flight. Think of it as Zits’s personal obstacle course. Alexie paints a picture of urban Native American life that’s raw, real, and often heartbreaking. We see Zits navigating a world where he’s constantly reminded that he doesn’t quite fit in.

Imagine Zits walking down the street, a mix of modern buildings and forgotten corners. This setting isn’t just bricks and mortar; it’s a symbol of the challenges faced by Native Americans in today’s cities. The novel lays bare the struggles with poverty, addiction, and a feeling of being lost between two worlds. Spokane becomes a mirror, reflecting Zits’s own sense of displacement and the alienation that eats away at him. It’s a place where he’s surrounded by people, yet utterly alone. The city, in essence, amplifies his inner turmoil.

Seattle, Washington: Where Things Explode

Then there’s Seattle. For Zits, Seattle is where everything comes to a head. It’s the location of the bank robbery, a pivotal event that is more than just a crime scene. It’s the breaking point.

Picture this: the chaos of a bank robbery in a bustling city. Seattle represents the external forces colliding with Zits’s internal struggles. It’s a moment of extreme pressure, forcing Zits to confront the consequences of his choices. Seattle, therefore, acts as the catalyst that sets the stage for Zits’s eventual transformation and journey of self-discovery. It’s a pressure cooker where Zits is about to either explode or be forged anew.

Historical Echoes: Understanding the Past to Heal the Present

Okay, let’s talk about the ghosts in the machine…or, in this case, the ghosts in Zits’s head. Sherman Alexie’s *Flight* isn’t just a wild time-travel romp. It’s also a deep dive into the turbulent waters of Native American history. The novel doesn’t shy away from the hard truths about oppression and marginalization. It throws them right in your face, making you think about the weight of the past.

Native American History: A Legacy of Oppression

Think of it this way: Zits isn’t just some random kid bouncing through time. He’s a vessel carrying the weight of generations who’ve faced injustice. The novel name-checks historical events – things like the Indian boarding schools (shudder) or the Wounded Knee Massacre. These aren’t just footnotes in a history book; they’re living traumas that continue to reverberate through Native communities today.

The Spokane Tribe/Coeur d’Alene Tribe: Roots of Identity

Let’s get something straight – Zits’s identity isn’t just some vague notion; it’s directly tied to his Spokane and Coeur d’Alene heritage. We’re talking culture, traditions, stories – the stuff that makes him who he is. Flight explores how this connection—or, more accurately, disconnection—plays a massive role in Zits’s quest for self-discovery. It shows how reclaiming those roots can be a source of strength, even amidst all the chaos.

Colonialism and its Lingering Scars

Colonialism – that’s the big, bad wolf in this story. The novel isn’t afraid to tackle the lasting impact of historical injustices – the land grabs, the cultural genocide, the systemic inequalities. It argues that the past isn’t just something to be studied; it’s something we’re still living with. And it challenges us to confront the ugly truth: that these historical scars are still affecting Native communities today.

Alexie’s Craft: Literary Devices That Illuminate the Narrative

Flight isn’t just about the story; it’s also about how Sherman Alexie tells it. He’s like a magician, pulling rabbits (or maybe more like painful truths) out of his hat using some seriously cool literary tricks. Let’s peek behind the curtain and see how he does it.

Time Travel: A Vehicle for Exploration

Okay, so time travel might sound like something straight out of a sci-fi flick, but in Flight, it’s so much more. It’s not about spaceships or paradoxes; it’s about Zits literally stepping into different shoes and understanding different experiences.

• How does time travel function as a central narrative device in Flight?
  Think of time travel as Alexie’s way of hitting the rewind button on history. Zits doesn’t just read about the past; he lives it. He becomes a different person in each time period, forced to confront the realities of that era. It’s like a crash course in empathy and understanding, but with the added bonus of potentially getting shot at.

• How does time travel allow Zits to experience different historical periods and perspectives?
  Zits doesn’t just visit these time periods as a tourist; he inhabits them. He experiences the world through the eyes of others, which is crucial for someone as disconnected and angry as he is. It’s like Alexie is saying, “Hey, before you judge, try walking a mile (or a century) in their shoes.”

• How does time travel contribute to the novel’s exploration of identity, violence, and redemption?
  Identity, violence, and redemption are like the holy trinity of Flight‘s themes, and time travel is the vehicle that drives them all. Through these jarring experiences, Zits is forced to confront not only the violence of the past but also his own identity and potential for redemption. Each jump is a step towards (hopefully) becoming a better version of himself.

First-Person Narrative: A Window into Zits’s Mind

Now, imagine if Flight was told from a detached, third-person perspective. It wouldn’t be nearly as powerful, right? Alexie makes a brilliant move by letting Zits tell his own story.

• How does the impact of the story being told from Zits’s perspective?
  Hearing Zits’s story in his own words is like being given a backstage pass to his mind. We’re not just observers; we’re riding shotgun on his emotional rollercoaster. We hear his thoughts, his doubts, and his (often sarcastic) observations. This intimacy creates a powerful connection between the reader and Zits, even when he’s making questionable choices.

• How does the first-person narrative enhance the reader’s empathy and understanding of Zits’s experiences?
  Because we’re so close to Zits, we can’t help but feel for him, even when he’s being a jerk. We understand where his anger comes from, the pain that drives him, and the longing for something more. The first-person perspective allows Alexie to build empathy in the reader, even for a character who starts out as deeply flawed.

• How does it shape the reader’s perception of the events and characters in the novel?
  Everything is filtered through Zits’s lens, which means we’re getting a biased (but honest) account of events. Other characters are seen through his eyes, which can be both insightful and skewed. This subjectivity adds layers to the narrative and challenges us to question our own perceptions.

So, next time you’re wandering through a bookstore or scrolling for something new, give Flight a shot. It’s a wild ride, but hey, who doesn’t love a little chaos mixed with a whole lot of heart? You might just find yourself seeing the world a little differently afterward.