English Case

Alexie didn't know how to read English it was foreign to him but still tried hard to learn how to read and comprehend. In Sherman's story he describes his experience learning to read and becoming a student and he is telling the Indian population that he is one of the lucky few who saw the Indian stereotype for what it was and was smart and arrogant enough to stand up against it.

The main stereotype of American Indians is that they are unintelligent. For example Sherman mentions in his story that when the non Indian teacher asked for answers, the Indian children were expected to be stupid and not know the answer to the question, "Most lived up to those expectations inside the classroom (15)." "Those who failed were ceremonially accepted by other Indians and appropriately pitied by non-Indians (15)." Sherman is trying to save the Indian children from being stereotypes.

As Sherman grew up he became a successful for what it was and was smart and overconfident enough to stand up against it. He states "Writing was something beyond Indians (15)." The Indians where expected to fail. When Sherman states in his story that he threw his weight against the locked doors, he explained how desperate he is to encourage the next generation to shoot for the stars and break down the door and go from the place of low expectation to a place where they have high expectations and something to work for.

Sherman states "Writing was something beyond Indians (15)." The Indians where expected to fail. In Sherman's story he states "I throw my weight against their locked doors (16)." He explained how desperate he is to encourage the next generation to shoot for the stars and break down the door and go from the place of low expectation to a place where they have high