Defining Otherness in the Literary Work, This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona

In Sherman Alexie’s short story, “This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona”, we see a clear depiction of Otherness between the characters, Victor and Thomas-Builds-the-Fire. This story is about a boy named Victor, who recently lost his father to a heart-attack. Strapped for cash, he is forced to rely on the Tribal Council to fund the retrieval of his father’s remains in Phoenix. However, the council is unable to meet his request and due to financial constraints can only provide one hundred dollars. While standing in line to cash the check, he finds help in the form of a past childhood friend named, Thomas-Builds-the-Fire, the Other. Right away, we note from the author’s statements, “All the other Indians stared, surprised that Victor was even talking to Thomas. Nobody talked to Thomas because he told the same damn stories over and over again. Victor was embarrassed…” (Alexie 1994), that Thomas is the Other in this story. Although the youth of the reservation has ostracized Thomas, due to his repetitive stories, and his consistent habit of talking to himself, Victor is hopeful that Thomas can help him. Thomas approaches Victor to offer his condolences for his father’s death and to offer Victor help. Before the chance to ask how Thomas knows of his father’s death, Thomas says, “I heard it on the wind. I heard it from the birds. I felt it in the sunlight.” This is an example of the stories that Victor and his peers refer to. These stories are part of the reason that no one talks to Thomas. They don’t understand Thomas, therefore they are unwilling to accept him. What Victor doesn’t realize, but later learns on his journey with Thomas to Phoenix, is that Thomas dreamt of his father and also promised his father that he would look after Victor no matter what happened. The author clearly establishes in this story that Otherness is present, and that the character Thomas recognizes his social unacceptability, but he and Victor set this aside in order to