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“uses humor--or his characters use humor--to reveal injustice, protect self-esteem, heal wounds, and create bonds.”

Despite highlighting the clear racial inequalities between them, the narrator ends the paragraph by showing their common poverty, economic and relational, which the clerk’s occupation and demeanor suggest. Alexie has created two characters who, with the exception of race, are identical and therefore, have the potential to see each other as such if stereotypes could dissolve.

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I really like Jimmy’s line, "Humor was an antiseptic that cleaned the deepest of personal wounds" as it shows how jokes about his cancer help him manage fear and pain.

Alexie's humor serves multiple purposes: it exposes injustices, offers a way to handle personal pain, and builds bridges between people. By making readers laugh, he also makes them think. This shared humor breaks down barriers, showing that beneath cultural differences, everyone shares common human experiences. Alexie's stories are powerful because they combine humor with serious themes, making them relatable and thought-provoking.

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"The title itself toys with the varying degrees--the approximate size--to which the first-person narrator, Jimmy, makes use of his favorite thing-humor--to deal with his cancer. Both the humor and the tumor are potentially dangerous aspects of Jimmy's life. While cancer slowly kills him, his jokes about it--particularly his "favorite" tumor that he insists is shaped liked a baseball--drive a wedge between him and his wife, Norma"

I like this quote because its relatable to me. I had cancer years ago and in result I lost my left leg. I always make jokes with my siblings saying " Must be nice to wake up with a leg" or things like that. At the beginning they didn't know if I was joking but then they did. I just love dark humor sometimes it makes bad times not be that bad in my opinion.

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In this article that I read so far they are discussing about a indian man studying in the united states of america the quotes that stood for me was "deflects any 'lesson in morality'" (76). And the other quote about art and writing and how it can be cliche is "art as an ethical endeavor or the artist as responsible social critic" (126). They also talk about that how indians people are being presented just as cliches and boy do I agree with that. They think anyone can sterotype and indian culture and judge about our skin color but no they must not do that anymore at all.

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"Throughout The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist-fight in Heaven, Alexie repeatedly emphasizes the personal and historical contexts that help explain the difficult problems facing many Indians today. For example, in the preceding story, "The Only Traffic Signal on the Reservation Doesn't Flash Red Anymore,""

I appreciated the author's insight on life on the res that he was able to offer throughout his work. The quote I pulled, though simple, is a descriptive and compelling example of this.

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Quote: In this essay I will argue that Alexie's humor is central to a constructive social and moral purpose evident throughout his fiction but particularly in his collection of short stories, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven.

Explanation: The reason that I liked this quote is because it helped me understand the character by letting me know what type of humor Alexie's was going for. For example the lamps I didn't really understand at first but after reading this quote it made me realize that at first she would replace them with expensive ones, but after he kept destroying them she just started to buy them from goodwill or the dollar store. And I believe that the lamps represent the hope she still has for him.

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"They're all gone, my tribe is gone. Those blankets they gave us, infected with smallpox, have killed us" this refer to smallpox-infected blankets to Native American tribes was a notorious historical incident. Because indigenous peoples lacked immunity to smallpox, this was a sort of biological warfare meant to infect them. During vietnam war there were lots people that was infected to something that similar to this. It's giving me a sort of flashback.

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"In this vein, his short stories delineate not only the harsh cultural realities facing Indians (both on and off the reservation) but also the pride and strength that sustain them."

The importance of this dichotomy struck me. Oppressed people confronting immense opposition often embrace unique cultural hallmarks as a source of pride, a sort of dry humor in the face of adversity. This attitude sustains oppressed communities that otherwise would be crushed under the weight of their situation. Humor here acts as a unique form of empowerment, a way of making light of persecution and poverty.

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“Nevertheless, story-telling, like humor, offers the potential for increased understanding” I never thought about it this way. I feel I can relate to this since I tend to use humor in situations where I can’t fully explain myself or when i find myself in uncomfortable situations.

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Quote: The double meaning of the "power lines" underscores how white society exerts its power to divide Indian land and, in effect, disconnect Indians from their heritage. Alexie's caustic humor shows how the situation cuts both ways

Explanation: I really liked this section as well, it promotes the idea and expresses how there is a separation between both worlds. I appreciate how the author was able to explain this understanding and the differences with his humor.

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“Here lies its principle challenge for readers. Alexie's shifting treatment of humor serves as a means of connection as well as an instrument of separation.” I think this is a beautiful way to look as how most people use humor as a coping mechanism. He has this beautiful way of connecting these blunt thoughts and making them easier to swallow for people. But also keeps him separate.

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"Alexie's use of humor encourages readers to think anew by creating a space of shared inquiry and reciprocal empathy. According to Mikhail Bakhtin, the power of laughter generates "a crude zone of contact" that "demolishes fear and piety"

Explanation: I liked this quote because shows the authors personality and what he is trying to portray to his audience. Sharing something that is can be damaging emotionally but making jokes out of light for the situation

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"There's an old Indian poet who said that Indians can reside in the city, but they can never live there."

This quote reflects the protagonist’s internal struggle and the broader collective experience of Native Americans who move to urban areas but remain disconnected from their cultural roots and communities. It underscores a profound sense of alienation and the enduring need for cultural and spiritual grounding, which the protagonist ultimately seeks by returning to the reservation. The statement serves as a commentary on the enduring impact of colonialism and the ways it has disrupted and displaced Indigenous identities and communities.

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"The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, humor allows his characters to display strengths and hide weaknesses, to expose prejudices and avoid realities, and to create bonds and construct barricades" I really like this because its true many people use humor to hide their sadness or how he says their weakness. Sometimes in moments of weakness it's hard to reach out. I feel many people can relate to this I myself can relate to this the fact that the author themselves included this makes me wonder if they themselves do this as well or have met other people who do this.

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"Alexie's humor has this effect; it shocks readers into regenerate perspectives via their own discomfort."

As a woc who spent her formative years in town where none of her classmates looked like her, that line hits close to home. I cannot confront people directly, even if my life depends on it. Instead, I choose to joke about it, hoping the other party realises that what they said isn't the best.

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I like Lincoln's line, "Storytelling personally brings people together; it engages them collectively in giving and receiving the events of their lives. In such storytelling times, people occupy space with focused attention; they enter their common world more fully".

I liked this quote because it points out things which I've noticed but never really thought about. One of those things is how storytelling can bring people together as no matter who you are or what your background is they can show us different perspectives of certain things/lessons especially when we share our thoughts to other readers.

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"His critics characterize his writing as harmful pandering to white expectations, arguing that Alexie not only avoids the moral and social obligation to educate white readers and reinstill cultural pride in Indian readers"

I like this quote because it shows how people judge you without truly know the intent behind our actions. Here his critics believe he is just writing to please "white expectations".

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"When Indians make lots of money from corporations that way, we can all hear our ancestors laughing in the trees. But we never can tell whether they're laughing at the Indians or the whites. I think they're laughing at pretty much everybody" I believe this has a meaningful purpose. It shows us how in today society we are still in a constant battle of injustice, working class, and discrimination. Where people from different races have to constantly apply a band-aid over their wounds but that band-aid keeps repeatedly getting ripped off based on past issues. Alexie way of writing gives us an insight on how cruel and improper life can be just based on skin color and stereotypical ideas. Humor helps people connect or disconnects them from what is being said in the story.

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“Here lies its principle challenge for readers. Alexie's shifting treatment of humor serves as a means of connection as well as an instrument of separation. However, it is precisely this complexity and plasticity that allow him to negotiate successfully the differences between Indian communities and mainstream American society, while simultaneously instigating crucial dialogue about social and moral issues especially important to Indian communities.”

Explain: I chose this quote because I feel like it explained really well what I was thinking. I felt like the prior critiques I didn’t agree with, but instead I was thinking that he is a very smart writer and he had a deeper meaning for writing how he did. It wasn’t as simple as him just making fun of his culture, like the other critics thought.

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"Alexie's cross-cultural humor alternately engages readers--creating positive connections between individuals of diverse backgrounds" I like this quote because it reminded me of the scene in the 7-11 where he sensed the cashier suspected him of stealing. So, he decided to have a little fun by pretending to be up to no good, eventually making the cashier laugh in the end.

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"By exploding expectations and compelling dialogue, humor teaches self-knowledge and social awareness, much like Trickster. Alexie's use of humor encourages readers to think anew by creating a space of shared inquiry and reciprocal empathy."

I like this because I think humor can serve as a way to wipe the slate of expectations clean and allows for forming new connections. It creates a space for everyone to connect-the one making the joke is possibly empowering themselves by taking control and wiping the slate clean, and by doing so, this breaks down any expectations of those who are used to being in a role of oppressor, or in this case the white cashier. The cashier is left questioning which allows the possibility of growth. Of course, this seems to create a burden on the trickster which can't be ignored.