Smoke Signals

Dear #EthnicAmLit students,

While I am attending the Digital Media and Learning conference later this week, I would like you to watch the film Smoke Signals.  This independent film was directed and co-produced by Chris Eyre and the screenplay is by Sherman Alexie (based on his short story "This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona" from his book Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven).  It is also reminiscent of the his poem "Postcards for Columbus" which was discussed thoroughly in class during the excellent group presentation given last Thursday.  The film is unique as an all-Native American production: including the producer, director, screenwriter, actors and technicians.

Here is the link to the film on-line:  Smoke Signals

Please write one of your blog posts on the film, offering your close reading of prominent themes and metaphors threading this text together.   Here are some prompts for your explication of this film:

• How is the question of history addressed in the film?
• How is tradition addressed here?
• What do you make of metaphors such as fire, smoke, storytelling, memory?  The fourth of July? The well known American trope of the "road trip"?  Fry bread?  What about the tropes such as the -"West" as a place of progress, -expansion, -cowboys & indians, -John Wayne?
• What about the theme of fathers & sons?  The notion of a legacy or inheritance?  
• How is violence (both personal and historicized violence) addressed in the film?
• What about the significance of names in the film?  Victor Joseph, Arnold Joseph?  Thomas-builds-the-fire?, etc.  Why the inclusion of Thelma & Lucy?  What might their roles refer to? …And their car in reverse?
• The significance of the title of the film itself?
• What kind of commentary does this film offer us in terms of understanding America?

I will see you all on Monday after Spring Break.  In the meanwhile, I will be completing the rubric evaluation for your group presentations and reading your blog posts over the break.

Enjoy the week off!  Let's hope we finally catch a glimpse of springtime….

Dr. Zamora