Alexie's Background
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Sherman Alexie is know for many things. His most notable feature has to be his Indian* decent. Growing up on the Indian reservation for the majority of his life gave him his character, his culture, and most importantly his stories.
Born in Spokane, Washington as a Coeur d'Alene Indian, Alexie himself was not too fond about his culture. He has witnesses many situations of alcoholism poverty, stereotypes and death. Some of theses even has effected his family and friends. Both his parents were alcoholics and his sister died because of a serious drinking problem. This was the new Native American identity, struggles with old problems in a modern era. These adult struggles were the harsh realities Alexie had to experience at a young age. Facing these real problems everyday gives him the themes he writes about in his stories. Alexie's rough childhood gives him the first hand experience to write stories so rich with emotions, a trait in his writing so appealing to many. To further understand Alexie's background click on the links to the left. *Alexie finds Native American a guilty "white" term. |