Antiseptic Humor : Using Comedy To Confront Realities And Refute Stereotypes In The Works Of Sherman Alexie

Abstract

Sherman Alexie, a Native American author of poems, novels, plays, and film uses humor to expose and to explore lingering cultural stereotypes affecting people of Native American ancestry. These stereotypes often conflict with their actual identity and mainstream society's ambiguous expectations of them in modern life. Analyzing various genres from his works, I propose that Alexie's works include both positive and negative stereotypes not only to teach but also to delight. With observation and wit, Alexie refutes prevailing cross-tribal stereotypes of alcoholism, spirituality, and residence of Indian reservations, and he confronts the deeper, serious social problems that are bypassed by such stereotyping. Like a doctor designing a treatment plan for a chronic care patient, Alexie approaches the stereotypical views of Native Americans by identifying symptoms and providing antiseptic humor to help heal the pain caused by prejudices suffered by Native Americans on and off the reservations.