The tribal connections which are an intrinsic part of the story show that Victor could not really rely on any member of his family to get his father’s body back to Phoenix, Arizona. Victor’s situation is quite bad, he has just lost his job and his father has passed away with his mother not able to help since she is poor too and without any means to get her husband back to his final resting place. The theme of this paper is that although inner family has abandoned Victor, his only real friend who is not family comes to his rescue to give his father a decent burial.
The family connections in tribal communities are also crucial and important. The encounter between Victor and Thomas is also very poignant and here we see the immediate bond between two old friends where the latter offers Victor financial help and assistance even though he hasn’t seen him in years showing that friendship remains an important theme throughout.
The emotions that Victor passes through when he is alone are also quite string and he has an almost unbearable tinge of nostalgia in his thoughts. The offer from Thomas has clearly taken him by surprise but with just USD 100 in his pocket from the Tribal Council then he has no real option to do otherwise.
The story also touches upon the social connections formed by Indians especially with regards to their relations with white people. The situation where Thomas who is ugly and broken toothed flirts with a sexy white gymnast almost rankles Victor as a whiff of tension creeps through. Victor’s own recollections of the wasp’s nest incident several years ago, demonstrates the relationship between both men which was very strong when they were young but drifted apart as they grew older. However the connection between both Indians shows the strong racial connections and bonds which almost goes beyond the grave.
Works Cited:
Sherman Alexie; This is What it Means to Say, Phoenix, Arizona, Print, 1995
