Smoke Signals Essay - Harrison Pearson

        The film, Smoke Signals, by Chris Ayre carries a universal message to people about the nature of forgiveness, as well as Victor's effort to come to terms with his personal history and understand who he is. The movie Smoke Signals is about a young Native American boy named Victor growing up on an indian reservation. Life is hard on an indian reservation with little job opportunities and little work. In the movie the filmmaker portrays how a Native American Indian growing up in a rapidly modernizing world will experience hardships, stereotypes, as well as coming to terms with his past.

        Growing up on an Indian Reservation in the 19th century were very difficult. Very little happens on the reservation and they usually are in poverty because the lack of work. Early on in Smoke Signals Victor has his father, Arnold, around to provide for his family. Though Arnold is a drunkard who beat his wife and son they both still loved him. It was then one day that he got up and left because his wife and son wanted his problem to end and stop drinking. Once an indian leaves he never comes back is what was always said after Arnold was gone. Victor then had to grow up on the reservation without his father and constantly torn apart by his father leaving. Victor being Native American gave him very little access to good education and also made it very difficult to find work and provide for his Mom. Most would see that he was an Indian and not be fair. Victor later on discovered that his father had died and that he was going to retrieve his ashes and his old Ford truck in Arizona.

         Being a Native American in the 19th century puts Victor at a huge disadvantage compared to that of a white man. Being an Indian makes him susceptible to being prejudiced by racist whites as well as being treated unequally when it comes to education and work. Today when people think of Indians they think about luxurious head dresses, horses, bows, ect. In the movie there were some specific moments that were disrespectful to Victor's ethnicity such as when on the bus the white folks took their seat and when they asked for it back their heritage was just made fun of based on the indian stereotypes. Further on in the movie as Victor and Arthur are heading home they come across a wreck involving a drunk white man. Victor in the end saves all of those who were involved in the wreck by running on foot to the nearest town for help. In the end the white man who was driving drunk and caused the wreck tries to pin the disaster on Victor saying that he was the drunk one and trying to assault him. Seeing this in the movie made me think they were about to just be treated unfairly but the statement from the white mans wife saying he was an "ass" which ended up setting the story straight and letting Victor be free to go home.

        Victor every since his childhood had been angry with his father. In the movie when he goes to retrieve his fathers ashes and truck discovers a lot about himself that he did not know. When he gets to his fathers final resting place he meets Susan who told him through the art of storytelling of his father as well as discovered the origin of the fire when he was a baby. Victor realizes why his father ultimately left and hadn't returned. Arnold had never been able to forgive himself for what had happened that night. Victor finds himself closer to his culture and is able to forgive his father. In the end of the movie he is able to release his father's ashes in an indian burial ritual over the waterfall and let go of his father and as well as his burdens.