"Every Little Hurricane" by Sherman Alexie
In my opinion, one of the most significant phrases in the text is “This little kind of hurricane was generic. It didn't even deserve a name” (Alexie 2). It is connected to the title as much as it is connected to the main theme of the short story.
One of the major themes that is explored in the text is relativity of experience. Our protagonist, Victor, experiences the world around him through the perception of a child. In the story, we learn about the New Year’s Eve party that takes place at his home, and how it slowly spins out of control by becoming filled with outlandish arguing, drinking and fighting. At the beginning of the story, the narrator refers to a hurricane that was to envelop the Spokane Indian Reservation. However, at the same time, for Victor, hurricane is not only a natural destructive force in the form of massive storm summoned by weather; it is every clash and expression of emotions that people have.
A fistfight on the front lawn of a house between the two of his uncles is as much of a hurricane as the one that gets to be reported on the news. The party itself is seen as a hurricane from the perspective of a nine year old boy. Yet, these are the little kind of hurricanes. They are of personal value. In that sense, the everyday experiences that a child undergoes in his life shape his perception more than the global cataclysms that are given names and further scrutiny in society.
Works Cited
Alexie, Sherman. “Every Little Hurricane” from The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. Harper Perennial, 1994. Web. 18 Apr. …
