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Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie
A Native American fiction, Sherman Alexie’s Reservation Blues, takes place in the great northwest on the Spokane Indian reservation. Unlike traditional Native American novels which focus on mysterious Indian culture, the novel vividly portrays an Indian society in the modern reality. Alexie, a Spokane Indian himself, presents the readers many social issues within the reservations: poverty, alcoholism, religion and so on. The story follows an all-Indian band started by five young natives who try to succeed in order to show the strength of the Indian culture and to live a better life than many of those still on the reservation. The band members present the reservation with progressive thought, which results in large conflicts among the band and the tribe. Sherman Alexie uses this to illustrate the Native American struggle to balance progressive and traditional culture. The members are greatly influenced by the reservation, both in cultural and spiritual way. Some people may have ideas about life on the reservation before they start reading, but they will soon find out how traditional culture is held up on reservations and how many Indians have a hard time adapting to contemporary American society. In conclusion, the novel successfully reflexes the issues present within the Indian reservation and draws the reader into profound thinking. This book would be recommended to anyone who is interested in the idea of culture and its interaction with modern society. This book would not, however, be suitable for young children due to some of the adult topics discussed throughout the book.
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