Presentation Evaluations

The group who presented Native American social concerns last week did an excellently thorough job in addressing issues central to both past and present groups of Indians. They highlighted the increased suicide rates on reservations, the increased likelihood of a young person growing up on a reservation to abuse of alcohol, high levels of poverty among Native Americans, and low health service availability. I almost wish that we would have viewed this presentation before reading all of Alexie's poetry because knowing the severity of these social issues within the Native American culture allows me to read his text more sympathetically.

When Alexie writes a poem such as "Diabetes" which outlines the disparity of the Native American population in their struggle with health problems and a lack of adequate health care options, he uses his personal story as an illustration of a larger social evil. He concludes this poem with the lines, "what/the bread conatins is/what contains me"(44). A literal reading of such a poem would suggest that Alexie is concerned with the glucose levels in carbohydrates such as bread and sugar; however, he is reaching for a concept which is more symbolic than that as well. Food stamps do not typically provide a diabetic with an excellent choice of appropriate dietary options. His disease and race therefore define his quality of life. He did not choose either one.