Smoke Signals
"Smoke Signals" In the movie, Smoke Signals, two men from the Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation, take a journey to Arizona. The trip turns into a philosophical journey as much as a physical one, encountering odd ball characters and discovering poetic messages at the end of the road. The main characters, Victor Joseph and Thomas Builds-the-Fire have known each other since childhood, they are not exactly friends but share a special link. On July 1976, Victor's father, Arnold Joseph, accidentally sets fire to a house killing everyone inside except manages to save Thomas and his son. Thomas, who has become a true believer in spirits, narrates the movie. He waits patiently for visions and enjoys stories of both fact and fiction. Yet, he is also a bit of a nerd who spends too much time watching Indians on television and Dances with Wolves over and over again to understand the meaning of being an Indian. . Nevertheless, Thomas who was raised by his grandmother continues to worship Arnold even though Arnold left the reservation for a life in Phoenix when Thomas and Victor were only 12 years old. Victor seems to be full of hostility toward his father for abandoning him a
Symbolically, Victor cut his hair as his father did after the fire. The guy is on the top of a van reporting on who goes by and weather they are likely going to be late for work His weather forecasts consist of what he thinks the clouds look like. A few scenes later, when two obnoxious white men sit in their seats, Victor and Thomas don't fight them but retire to the back of the bus. For me, it offers the prospect of seeing beyond the stereotypes and realizing that all cultures seem to have the same internal struggles. The boy's finally get to Arnolds small trailer in Phoenix. After searching through his father's possessions, Victor finds his father's wallet with a picture. For Victor, it's a change to forgive his estranged father in death. She convinces Victor to go into his trailer to be with him, reluctantly he does. One minute Arnold is happily telling stories to his son, drinking his beer as they drive home, the next he's slapping Victor's head for knocking over the bottle. For Thomas, the trip from Idaho to Arizona means an opportunity to come to grips with his ancestry. She becomes a catalyst for Victor and no dead father. If you don't look mean, white people won't respect you. In my favorite scene, Victor has these words of advice, "Indians aren't supposed to smile, Thomas, get stoic. The boy hood scenes of Victor and Arnold show a man who loves his son dearly but who is also clearly possessed by his own demons.
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Acceptance Essays
