Phase 3 Prompt 1

Thomas Builds-the-Fire becomes increasingly isolated in Sherman Alexie’s stories simply because of the stories he tries to tell the people of the Spokane Reservation. The people of the Spokane Reservation never wanted to listen to Thomas’ stories and he remained silent for nearly twenty years because of that. When Thomas decides to start telling his stories again, he is arrested and put on trial. The BIA officials determined that Thomas had “a storytelling fetish accompanied by an extreme need to tell the truth” (93). The officials found Thomas’ stories dangerous due to the truth behind the stories and the reaction Thomas created in people when they actually listened to him. The stories Thomas tells eventually get him sentenced and imprisoned thus making him completely isolated from the rest of the stories.

            As mentioned above, Thomas’ stories were thought to be truthful and dangerous by the BIA officials. During his trial, Thomas tells three different stories that allude to battles between the Native Americans and the White Americans. On page 98, Thomas tells the Judge about the horse slaughtering in 1858. In this story, Thomas is giving the audience the viewpoint of a horse that witnessed the slaughtering of his friends and family. This event really did happen in September of 1858 at the Spokane Bridge. The Colonel Wright in Thomas’ story was a real Colonel during the 1850s and was the one who conducted the horse slaughtering. In another story told during his trial on page 98, Thomas tells the Judge about an Indian named Qualchan and his visit to Colonel Wright’s camp. Qualchan was an Indian warrior who was sent to Colonel Wright’s camp to see if he was in a peace-negotiating mood. Upon arriving at the camp, Colonel Wright ordered Qualchan to be hung along with six other Indians. The third and final story Thomas tells the Judge on page 100 is about Steptoe and his soldiers. In May of 1858, Colonel Steptoe led 159 American soldiers into battle against a group of Native Americans that included a large number of Spokane Indians. Colonel Steptoe and his soldiers retreated from the battle due to low ammunition and impeding disaster. Each of the stories Thomas told during his trial are all historical events that occurred during 1858.

            While the stories above were actual historical events, Thomas also tells visions of what has yet to happen. During This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona, Victor informs readers that Thomas knew “that Victor’s father was going to leave, knew it before anyone” (61). It is also revealed to readers that Thomas had a vision to go stand by the Falls in Spokane and wait for a sign. That sign was Victor’s father asking that Thomas and Victor “Take care of each other” (69). While these two visions related directly to Victor, there are other visions Thomas tells that relate to the entire population of Spokane. On page 21, Thomas tells Victor and Junior not to slow dance with their skeletons. While Thomas directly tells Victor and Junior this, the readers are informed of what Thomas meant by his statement. “Indians never wear a watch because your skeletons will always remind you about the time” (22). This quote shows the readers how this applies to the entire Indian population. The quote also gives readers insight as to why the people of the Spokane Reservation are not fond of Thomas Builds-the-Fire.

            Thomas Builds-the-Fire tells historical stories along with visions of what has yet to occur. Until his trial, Thomas’ stories go unheard by the people of the Spokane Reservation. At his trial, it is revealed to readers that when Thomas’ stories are actually heard the Indians show their respect for Thomas. At one point in the trial, an Indian woman in the courtroom stands up and yells, “We hear you” (99). It is also not until this time that the BIA officials realize how much of a threat Thomas really is. The stories Thomas tells give the people of the Spokane Reservation hope and reestablish their pride. After his trial, Thomas is riding in a bus towards the state prison and the prisoners in the bus recognize who he is and that he is a storyteller. “Tell us some stories, chief, give us the scoop” (103).  The fact that a prisoner recognizes Thomas and knows about his stories informs the readers that despite how mean the residents of the Spokane Reservation are to Thomas; they really do respect him and his stories.