The Cyclical Destruction of Alcohol and Native Americans

In Sherman Alexie's piece, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, Alexie made it clear that alcoholism is a major problem among many Native Americans. Native Americans have a history of adversity, and the common "treatment" for these problems is to turn to alcohol. As displayed in the short stories, alcohol, like any other drug, causes a physical and/or emotional addiction. By trying to cope with their already depressing lives, the consumption of alcohol causes more damage than was intended to heal. 

Calling the assumption, that native americans start drinking at a young age, a stereotype is in fact a misconception. The harsh reality is that most Native Americans do start drinking at a young age. When Alexie writes about his high school graduation,  he remarks that “a few can’t read, one or two are just given attendance diplomas, most look forward to the parties,” this points out that their main focus is not to graduate, but to drink (Alexie 179). This is life on the reservation. The cause of alcoholism among Native Americans can be debated, but the main factor is depression. They drink to escape their problems, but the drunken high can only last for so long. Addiction starts here. Many young Native Americans grew up with alcoholic parents. Impressionable children saw drinking as a way out of their hardships. Each generation is affected and alcoholism becomes a part of life on the reservation. Alexie stays away from the addiction that destroys the life of his father, but only because he is determined to be the “fucking eagle,” for his reservation (Alexie 188). 

Although not all Native Americans become alcoholics, a majority see alcohol as a coping mechanism to deal with life. Alexie evokes the most emotion by describing the painful effects alcohol has on an individual, a family, a community, and a race of people.