Sherman alexie grew up on the spokane indian reservation. What is the purpose of sherman alexies story what you pawn i will redeem. In sherman alexies short story superman and me, alexie writes about his life as an indian child growing up on the spokane indian reservation in the state of washington. In the case of sherman alexies superman and me, we see that. In his essay superman and me, how does sherman alexie. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. I read books late into the night, until i could barely keep my eyes open. Paragraphs the most memorable part of sherman alexies essay is the section where he talks about paragraphs.
The purpose of this personal essay is to express the impact of reading in alexies life. I cannot remember the plot, nor the means by which i obtained the comic book. Superman and me, gave me a different perspective of reading and writing. He depicts his life from when he was three years old, living on the reservation, up to his current self, as an adult writer who frequently visits that reservation.
As a young boy living on an indian reservation, alexie was expected to fail at the things nonindians were good at. In the essay superman and me by sherman alexie, the author, a native american from the spokane indian reservation in eastern washington, writes that he learned to read by reading a superman. Superman and me summaryresponse september 3, 2015 ianmcgr uncategorized sherman alexie tells a story about growing up as an indian, learning to read at a young age, finding fascination in everything he read, becoming a writer, and teaching his experiences to help young native americans. Alexie begins his essay with an anecdote about his introduction to reading, as he learned to read through a mixture of superman comics and his fathers books alexie, 1997, and quickly transitions to the thesis of his essay. Superman and me sherman alexie i learned to read with a superman comic book. Allen july 10, 2012 superman and me analysis and outline a preliminary response as i read this essay, i have come to find that sherman alexie was trying to explain how his childhood was. In his essay superman and me, how does sherman alexie connect. Sherman alexie learned how to read at a very age and read at a greater reading level compared to his classmates when he was a child. Summary of superman and me, by sherman alexie melissa. Despite the fact that my history is very different than that of author sherman alexie, in his essay superman and me, alexie describes the. Both writing tools are very different in nature but, alexie uses them to create similar responses from his audience. I enjoyed reading his personal story and how he overcame obstacles growing up. Therefore, the purpose of the text is to expose the reader. Through the medium of past experiences as a minority with a strong hunger for learning, alexie reminds everyone of the potential for an individual to overcome adversity through.
It was a way for him to explain how learning and knowledge is looked at in. Sep 10, 2015 summary superman and me zakiyah archbold dr. This is a short story explaining on how he grew up teaching himself how to read at three years old with his family on an indian reservation in washington state. Sometimes, its because we teach the same texts or units of studies, the same courses. In sherman alexie s superman and me, he uses rhetorical strategies to achieve his purpose of reaching his audience. Superman and me, by sherman alexie, made me realize how important reading skills are to youth. Superman and me, was very interesting story to me because it gave me insight into another culture. He grew up on the spokane indian reservation and now lives in seattle, washington. The essay superman and me by sherman alexie and stone soup by barbara kingslover have a multitude of differences, but similarities between the two can be revealed by understanding the overall themes of the essay. I read books at recess, then during lunch, and in the few minutes left after i had finished my classroom assignments. The purpose of this essay is to indicate how one does. In indian education, alexie presents the hypocrisy of education on reservations in the united states.
In the final sentence of the essay, sherman alexie says, i am trying to save our lives alexie 50. Reflective writing a deliberate shift making connections background. Superman and me bom in 1966 and raised on the spokane b1dian reservation in wellpinit, washington, sherman alexie is one of the foremost native american writers. His writings draw on his experiences as an indigenous american with ancestry from several tribes. Sherman alexie uses rhetorical strategies such as, ethos, pathos, and logos, to appeal to the reader. Superman and me reading the joy of reading and writing. Sep 05, 20 sherman alexie learned how to read at a very age and read at a greater reading level compared to his classmates when he was a child. Sherman alexie s superman and me uses rhetorical strategies to present the argument that by reading he can become an example for indians at the reservation and fight the stereotypes associated with native americans. In his essay superman and me, how does sherman alexie connect his experiences to supermans values and heroic abilities. Discuss sherman alexies use of rhetorical strategies and his claim in his essay superman and me. The personal challenge faced by sherman alexie in superman and me can be described as a hardship to change the view on the american indian, or better yet educate his people towards the path of the pursuit of knowledge despite their circumstances. What is the effect of alexies analogy of a paragraph to a fence. Verdelle english 101 author sherman alexies short story superman and me demonstrates how growing up on the reservation restricts his resources for learning though he was able to teach himself to read.
Just like superman, alexie saves the life of other people as well. A funny thing about teaching is how we revisit things. This short story is about the sherman alexies life as an indian boy living on the spokane indian reserve in eastern washington state and how reading and writing greatly affected his life. Discuss sherman alexie s use of rhetorical strategies and his claim in his essay superman and me. In alexies tribe, indians were expected to fail, or be intellectually miniscule in the eyes of nonindians, but be the contrary when they were amongst indians. Aug 18, 2011 sherman alexies superman and me uses rhetorical strategies to present the argument that by reading he can become an example for indians at the reservation and fight the stereotypes associated with native americans. Sep 15, 2015 sherman alexies article, the joy of reading and writing. Sherman alexie is a writer who comes from native american culture and was not provided a bright future. In superman and me, the underlying issue throughout is the problem of prejudice in a society.
By using an extended metaphor to state how certain objects are. Sherman alexie tells a story about growing up as an indian, learning to read at a young age, finding fascination in everything he read. In superman and me, sherman alexie uses personal anecdotes and repetition as two very strong writing tools. Sherman alexies superman and me analysis and outline from.
In sherman alexie s essay, superman and me, he uses repetition and extended metaphors to transition from a personal to social level as he illustrates his poor childhood, and how reading saves his and others lives. Nov 22, 2017 mentor text superman and me by sherman alexie writing techniques. In alexie s tribe, indians were expected to fail, or be intellectually miniscule in the eyes of nonindians, but be the contrary when they were amongst indians. Jun 05, 2017 alexie begins his essay with an anecdote about his introduction to reading, as he learned to read through a mixture of superman comics and his fathers books alexie, 1997, and quickly transitions to the thesis of his essay. Framing the reading sherman alexie was born in 1966 and grew up on the spokane indian reservation in wellpinit, washington. What is the purpose of sherman alexies short story. In the article superman and me, sherman alexie gives a biography of his life as a poor indian boy who successfully selfeducated himself through literature. In the case of sherman alexies superman and me, we see that selfeducation is not only just learning what a word is, and what a few letters thrown together looks like. Sherman alexie s superman and me 814 words 4 pages. He is best know11 for his fiction, fmm his first collec cio11 of stories, the lone ranger and tonto fistfight in heaven. Alexie uses this figure of speech to illustrate the uncertain nature of life on the reservation. Sherman alexies superman and me 911 words bartleby. Sherman alexies superman and me sherman alexies superman and me pg.
It was hard for him and his family both of his parents working minimum wage jobs and receiving government assistance. As you read deeper and deeper into this story, it is easy to realize a clear purpose in this piece. In the essay superman and me by sherman alexie, the author, a native american from the spokane indian reservation in eastern washington, writes that. Summary of superman and me, by sherman alexie melissas blog. Sherman alexie s superman and me 951 words 123 help me. He believes not only reading books will help a student learn, it will save their lives. Jan 23, 2011 sherman alexies superman and me uses rhetorical strategies to present the argument that by reading he can become an model for indians on reservation and fight the stereotypes associated with native americans. First he, talks about the stereotypical living on an indian reservation and teaching himself to read. Oct, 2011 summary of superman and me by sherman alexie the story superman and me was written by sherman alexie. In sherman alexies essay, superman and me, he uses repetition and extended metaphors to transition from a personal to social level as he illustrates his poor childhood, and how reading saves his and others lives.
There are many different components of what it takes to be selfeducated. Alexie connects his superpower of reading to supermans fictional. Sherman alexie superman and me essay madisons grade 11. What is the purpose of sherman alexies short story indian. I cannot recall which particular superman comic book i read, nor can i remember which villain he fought in that issue. This line, just like the one mentioned earlier, has great. We revisit things because we need to refresh or remix them. He uses analogies to depict something confusing with something simple to understand. Superman and me is a memoir about alexies childhood and how reading a superman comic book made an impact on his life. Alexie is providing a visual connection that all readers can understand in order to express his epiphany. His use of each leaves a lasting impact on his audience. In all superman comics, television shows or movies, superman saves the life of at least 1 other person. This is made evident by alexies argument that reading was a way of. The main ideas of this story are sherman alexies experience of learning to read, the power of words, sherman alexies experience overcoming diversity and his path to success.
Instead of discussing paragraphs in a formal sense, he describes them as being a fence that held words. Superman and me, by sherman alexie and learning to read, by malcolm x i have gained a better understanding of what literacy does for us. Second, he talks about when he becomes a teacher helping his. Sherman alexie, who grew up on the spokane reservation in wellpinit, washington, explains his life as an indian boy, and how reading and writing helped his life to succeed. Author, sherman alexie, in his narrative essay, superman and me, discusses how literature played a huge role in his life growing up as an indian boy, and the power it wields in life.
Sherman alexie s superman and me uses rhetorical strategies to present the argument that by reading he can become an model for indians on reservation and fight the stereotypes associated with native americans. An understanding that words worked together for a common purpose. The essay is introduced with the superman comic books that taught alexie how to read. Alexie s purpose is to force his audience to understand his view of inequality. Rhetorical analysis essay linda escamilla eportfolio. The story is told through the eyes of victor, a native youth who attends school on the reservation but switches to a white school before high school. Despite these expectations, alexie was driven by his fathers love for books to create his own passion for reading.
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