Coulombe Summary

Many of Alexie’s critics claim that his application of humor entertains Indian stereotypes, suggesting that he neglects his responsibility to shed his people in a positive, genuine light.  Coulombe counters such evaluations by arguing that, through humor, Alexie is able to surface factors of oppression, remediate pain, and fuse mentalities from culture to culture.  Very significantly, such objectives are met as the role of humor alternates throughout his work.  It is noted that this constant shift induces a character-reader interaction, where “contrary powers” are evident in Alexie’s widely identifiable characters.  However, even though such “cross-cultural humor” can connect the minds of various backgrounds, it can, likewise, create distance between them.  Coulombe draws a parallel between Alexie’s humor and that of his heritage, as the shifting role of humor is a traditional feature in Indian laughter.  Alexie’s humor is thought to be iconic of the mythical Indian character, Trickster, whose wit was known to bring the community together.  However, Alexie promotes a shared understanding and respect among diverse groups by facilitating an open area where he invites all to reconsider outdated clichés; with this, he reflects on the past, responds to the present, and writes the future.  Coulombe mentions some critics’ struggle to identify Alexie’s aim in his satire, and asserts that the reader is required to approach such instances with analysis--because the usual “moral-of-the-story” is not necessarily made explicit in Alexie text.  When approaching poignant realities with laughter, Alexie encourages the reader to assess the conditions which permit such sad and sardonic humor, perhaps suggesting that today’s reality is warped and in dire need of repair.  In its many contexts, Alexie demonstrates how the individual uses humor as a defense mechanism for reality, a tool of denial, of personal withdrawal, but also an instrument of personal strength.  Most importantly, because humor exists in all cultures, it stands as the “great unifier,” the ultimate purpose for Alexie’s jokes.