Arnold And Rowdy's Nomadic Analysis

During Arnold and Rowdy’s conversation, Rowdy indicates that Indians are not “nomadic” anymore, implying that they are sedentary: “I don’t think Indians are nomadic anymore” (Alexie, 229). Rowdy’s insight is a euphemism conveying the idea that the lives of Native-Americans are barren of hope and opportunity. Throughout the novel, Alexie portrays the life of Native-Americans as grotesque and subordinate compared to the lives of white people, mostly due to harsh living conditions and discrimination. However, as Rowdy states that “I don’t think Indians are nomadic anymore”, the word “anymore” implies that traditional Native-Americans were in fact, nomadic. The idea of nomadism symbolizes hope, freedom, and opportunity, which demonstrates the
comparison between traditional Native-Americans and modern Native-Americans.