Group B:

1.How does Checkers feel about being Indian ? Why does she feel this way ?
Checkers clearly states she hates being Indian. "Sometimes", Checkers said, "I hate being
Indian." She then tells Thomas how every time she's walking in downtown there is a drunk
asking for money when Chess and Checkers barely have any enough for themselves. Checkers
feels bad and gives in to the feeling of guilt. Checkers refers to the homeless drunks as "brown
skinned zombies." Once Checkers saw a white man spit into a zombie's open hand. The zombie
wiped his hand clean and the white man spit on it again. After that Checkers ran up and gave the
zombie her last piece of candy which he ate with a smile. As Thomas's dad is laying on the table
in front of Checkers and Thomas, Checkers sees her dads face in Samuel's face and in Thomas's
eyes. She hated seeing not only Thomas's dad drunk but most of the men on the reservation. On
page 114, it mentions that Checkers has dreams in which Indian men visit her. They crawl into
her bed at night, lift her nightgown, and force her legs apart. Checkers holds onto them tightly.
2.What does the author demonstrate with checkers story about the white man spitting in the
Indian beggars hands?
From checkers behavior. One can argue that the author demonstrated a sense of loyalty
within Indians. Although, checkers referred to the Indian man as a zombie. She quickly offered
her Last piece of candy to the man after having witnessed the injustice committed by the white
man towards the Indian beggar. It can also be argued that the Indian culture is very humble.
The zombie wiped his hand clean on his pants and offered it again. Demonstrates the serious
level of poverty and the severe need. Lastly, this can also symbolize humbleness. Secondly, this
scene where checkers watched the white man spit into a Zombies open hand. Just spit into his
palm. Can also project the belief of white superiority, white power, and the lack of respect
towards the Indians.
3.What is the truest test of being Indian, according to Chess?
The truest test of being Indian means in some point in their lives, they arent really Indian
unless they considered to not want to be Indian. Thomas also stated this leading Chess to remind
him, she told him this when they first met.
4. Why does the author decide to introduce Samuel's story (flashback)? Why was it difficult for
Samuel Builds-the-Fire to be a basketball star? What might be the significance of his basketball
game with the Tribal cops?
Sherman Alexie introducing Samuel's flashback was obviously for a reason. Thomas and
Checkers sit on his kitchen table while they look at his father Samuel. Thomas tells Checkers
"My father was Washington State High School Basketball Player of the Year in 1956." Thomas
goes on to explain the skill his father had back in his youth. Thomas says "When any Indian
shows the slightest hint of talent in any direction, the rest of the tribe starts expecting Jesus." If
Samuel had would of kept working hard with basketball instead of drinking as much as he did he
could of gone off to play professional ball. The significance of the basketball game might be that
Samuel and Lester were trying to prove a point by going against the cops. Samuel and Lester
take the lead and then the cops begin to play dirty. Checkers asks Thomas who won the game and
he responds by saying "who do you think won" indicating that the cops had won.

5. How are the police on the reservation portrayed?

It seems like they are portrayed as athletes. They are involved in a basketball game
against Samuel & Lester. It looks like most of the policemen are actually Indian and only like
two are white men who say they have Indian blood on them.
6. Examine the significance of the names: Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle Heavy Burden.
The names Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle Heavy Burden are significant names because
they were three big ancient Greek philosophers and in the story they were introduced as brothers
that played forwards in basketball. Forwards in a basketball team are usually the bigger guys and
it might correlate with how big of a philosopher all three were in the past.
7.What is the significance of both Victors and Juniors dreams? What do these dreams suggest
about the nature of their relationships with their fathers?
The Significance of Victors and Juniors dreams is to show the reader the reason on why
Victor and Junior drink. Their dreams explains to the reader how their parents died. After their
parents died, they felt the need to drink and soon they became alcoholics. Their parents died
when both Victor and Junior were at a young age and because of this, both did not build a strong
connection with their fathers.
8. How are white Americans depicted in this chapter? What does this reveal about the?
White Americans depicted in this chapter as ignorant. The Americans assume all Indians
do the same as other Indians in different tribes. The Americans also thought all they ate was
buffalo, but they were a salmon tribe. This reveals Americans arent as informed about the Indian
reservations. The Americans are not aware of their hardship similar to theirs.