Vermeulin, Léo (Zulu)

Ross, Vicky

ENGL 100 15

Reflection

In the piece “Emigration”, Sherman Alexie is able to create a vivid image of how the world and life of first-nations peoples differ from the world he is in now. Alexie tells us in this story how he moved away from his hometown and the reserve where his mother lives. Alexie’s contact with his mother and culture weakened after he left the household until he became distant. He moved to the bustling city and adapted, whereas his people in the reserve remained isolated and continued their sacred and ancestral practices. By doing so, the residents of the reserve, unlike our narrator, maintained their wonderful connection with nature and the spirit world around them. This is a regret our author has, and we might feel pain at the notion that his three children will soon leave his side as he did with his mother many years ago, but instead, they will return to their reserve.

The first aspect I’d want to investigate is our contemporary Canadian civilization. Our congested streets, technological advancements, and pollution have all contributed to a grey horizon. Yes, tasks such as cooking, buying, and traveling have become more manageable. The narrator has effectively integrated technology into his life, but his mother, who still lives traditionally, sees no need for these technologies and makes no inquiries about them. We can see this in this quote: “ ‘I know, I know,’ I said. ‘It would be so much easier if you got a computer. Then I could email them to you.’ ‘Ah, I don’t need anything fancy like that,’ she said. ‘ And I don’t understand how they work anyway.’ (356)” This conversation took place after Alexie’s mother complained about her son failing to mail her granddaughter’s school photographs. We can see here that the technological difference is a difficulty for Alexie and his family in terms of remaining in touch, and that neither Alexie nor his mother is prepared to use the other’s way of contact. We have lost a lot of our connection, respect, and interaction with nature and the world as a species, but that is unthinkable for indigenous societies like those that occupy reserves.

The second aspect of the world I’d like to discuss is the isolated way of life maintained by reserves. Their occupants coexist with their surroundings, nurturing, protecting, and benefiting from them. I am not well-versed in Native American culture, but I know from my friends and surroundings that they are deeply spiritual. We can sense that when Alexie talks about his mother’s powers: “So, yes, as you might imagine, I am jealous of my mother’s magic. (357)” In Western society, it is considered that “magic” does not exist. Now, I’m not here to argue whether it does or not, or if it does, in what form. But I would like to bring attention to the believing side. Alexie mentions his mother’s ability to communicate with animals when during their conversation she says: “Or I’m going to send the hornets. And you know how mean and disciplined they are. (356)” She then tells her son Alexie that if he doesn’t send his daughter’s school photographs, she would have the hornets spell out the word “guilt.” Alexie gives us another example of his people’s connection to nature when he describes his daughters’ abilities: “They can make the tallest pine trees lean close, pick them up with their branches, and lift them high into the city sky. (357)” I believe that for many of us, the idea of a tree bending itself to pick us up and lift us into the sky is supernatural. That’s where the allure of picturing such a spectacle comes into play.

Sherman Alexie’s text “Emigration” vividly depicts the difference between two worlds, one always striving to move quicker than before and the other fixed in time. We can see why the author opted to name his work in this manner after evaluating it. Alexie abandoned the environment in which he had grown up and developed to permanently settle into a new one full of digital innovation. His civilization frowns on this world, pointing to its destructive character. I do not believe Alexie regrets his life choices, but he does wish he could have maintained a stronger connection to his roots, and he hopes that his daughters will be able to do so for themselves.

Alexie, Sherman. “Emigration.”  Blasphemy, pp. 355-357, eLearn

https://elearn.capu.ca/pluginfile.php/2526420/mod_resource/content/1/Alexie.pdf