Smoke Signals

As we watched Smoke Signals last week, There were several links between Vincent and the main character of Ceremony, Tayo. I think one reason why they were similar is because many people in various Native Tribes have started to live similar lives on the reservations. For example, the people around Tayo such as Harley and Emo just drink their problems away. Vincent's dad did the same thing because of the shame he felt for killing Thomas' parents. In one way or another, we all have problems that seem incurable, but being stuck on a reservation might make certain tribe members feel helpless. If they had an opportunity to go out and change their lives, it might motivate them to leave the bar stools.

Tayo connects to Vincent in other ways as well. Tayo's mother, Laura reminds me of both Vincent's father and his mother. She reminds me of his father because of the fact that he isn't there to raise him. Although Tayo's mother leaves before he can really get to know her at all, and Vincent's father can imprint memories on his son, they are both absent for the majority of the boys' childhoods. One difference that forms in adolescence between the two boys is that Vincent doesn't want anything to do with his father, and Tayo yearns to know Laura better and have her back. Tayo recollects watching his mother often be mistreated by men, recounting the stories in the "shanty village". Vincent witnesses this as well when his dad hits his sweet mother who was trying to keep the family together.