A man’s determination to succeed can overcome any obstacles faced from discrimination and scrutiny. This is shown brilliantly in Sherman Alexie’s Indian Education. Sherman underwent torment and hardship on his way to achieving his goal, which was to gain a good education and escapes the holds of his Indian culture, in which he was destined to be no more than a high school graduate.

            Sherman grew up on an Indian Reservation in Springdale, Washington. At an early age, Sherman knew that he wanted to gain a good education, and eventually go on to college. He realized that the school on the reservation was not the place where he could best achieve his goals. He was of only a handful of students to choose to go to the predominantly white public schools off the reservation. Because of this, he was not only made fun of by fellow Indian boys, but also by white children, who were constantly poking fun at him because of his heritage “my Indian name was Junior Falls down. Sometimes it was Bloody Nose or Steal-His-Lunch. Once, it was Cries –like-a-White-Boy…”(69).

            As he progressed in school, he gained one or two fellow Indians who attended his school. Now that he had someone to relate to, school became less of a stressful activity, although he did still encounter much resistance from his classmates and Indians back on the reservation. Upon graduation, he realized that he had made the right choice in attending a school off the reservation. While pondering what his high school reunion would be like in twenty years, he overheard “why should we organize a reservation high school reunion? My graduating class has a reunion every weekend at the Powwow Tavern”(74) This was the final straw which made him truly believe he had made the right choice for his life of education.

            This story struck me in a way no other story we have read has done. It was a true story about a person who was so driven, so determined to succeed and obtain his goals, that he was able to turn his back on his entire society. Yes, Richard Rodriguez did the same sort of thing, but Sherman never questioned his choices, and Rodriguez many times. Also, Sherman knew what he wanted at such an early age, as opposed to Mr. Rodriguez who did not decide to leave home until he left for college.

            So many times throughout his education, Sherman was tormented and teased, almost to the point of tears, yet it never deterred him from his goal of education. He must have had a very strong will to succeed, because any other person would have faulted under all the pressure. The pressure he put on himself forced him to learn and to grow, away from the others on the reservation. His parents were not as influential as say Mr. Rodriguez’s, which was most likely for the better. Sherman’s parents would have probably influenced him into staying on the reservation to attend school.

Alexie. Sherman “----“

Higher Seminary of Learning editor.---