Expressing Rage. The Use of Violence in Sherman Alexie's Novel "Indian Killer"

Sarah Kunz

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Essay from the year 2016 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1.5, University of Bern, lan...

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Essay from the year 2016 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1.5, University of Bern, language: English, abstract: The aim of this paper is to look into the use of violence in this novel from the different perspectives of whites, Indians and the killer. Furthermore this paper will analyse the different dimensions of violent acts and it will reveal why it is highly important to demonstrate why violence is depicted as inevitable. The novel written by Sherman Alexie, who is a Spokane-Coeur d'Alene and therefore commiserates with the Indian community, has often been criticised for its strikingly violent content. However, the message the novel sends can be different according to how one reads the novel. For some the novel sends the message that violence is inevitable to pursue ones beliefs and that the novel advocates terrorism. For others the novel only highlights the importance of frustration and anger coming from racism through the use of violence. There have already been several theories as of why there is so much violence in the novel. Skow calls the destroying anger and despair in the book "septic with ... [an] unappeasable fury". His often-cited opinion suggests that Alexie, as a member of the Indian community, forms his own suppressed rage into a narrative. Hence, Alexie's own heritage is the reason for the novel's immense amount of cruelty. In Skow's opinion, the use of violence in the novel comes from the author's own feelings towards his ancestry and therefore justifies the crimes of the Indians against the whites. As for the brutality of white people against innocent Native Americans, Skow suggests, that it would only highlight Alexie's own point of view. The reader would rather sympathize with the Indians than with the whites although both are equally brutal in pursuing their beliefs. On the other hand, another criticiser of the novel, Arnold Krupat, suggests a kind of ruthless and aggressive "Red Nationalism".