"His uncles, Arnold and Adolph, gave up the fight and walked back into the house, into the New Year's Eve party, arms linked, forgiving each other. But the storm that caused their momentary anger had not died. Instead, it moved from Indian to Indian at the party, giving each a specific, painful memory" (Alexie 8).
Alexie's use of vivid language helps the reader empathize with the characters in the short stories. Also, Alexie's use of humor to treat sometimes dark issues faced by American Indians plays nicely into the short stories. One idea presented is the fact that many Indians have dreams of a better life. On the reservation there seems to be a sense of helplessness. Alexie shows how the two young boys, Thomas and Victor, dream. One day, their figurative dreaming becomes real: "They hated Thomas for his courage, his brief moment as a bird. Everybody has dreams about flying. Thomas flew. One of his dreams came true for just a second, just enough to make it real" (Alexie 29). Again Alexie is using the metaphor of flying which shows the imaginations of the somewhat unfortunate reservation Indians. .
NorthSun uses humor in her poetry, but her work tends to have a more cynical feel. Her cynicism seems to come from her resentment of modern American society which is obvious in her poetry. In one section, she uses the juxtaposition of traditional food with modern American food: "I don't know what the Navajos call them. Intestine wrapped around stomach lining then cooked til crispy. They barbecued the lamb and feasted. That night she dreamed of McDonalds" (NorthSun 31). The hint at the influence that corporate America has on the reservation shows NorthSun's bitterness toward society. This is one of the major difficulties facing American Indians. They somehow have to maintain traditions while fitting into the "real" world which becomes very difficult. More specifically, NorthSun deals with whites putting pressure on American Indians to be more like them.
