Ceremony + Smoke Signals Reflection

Both Ceremony, written by Leslie Marmon Silko and Smoke Signals directed by Chris Eyre (screenplay by Sherman Alexie) are both examples of how native culture is presented - through literature and film. Smoke Signals tells the story of Thomas - who is considered a nerd on his reservation. His parents were killed in a fire and he was saved by his friends father (Arnold). When Victor (Thomas's friend) hears his dad dies - after he left 10 years ago he and Thomas go on a journey to find out what happened to him. After they leave the Coeur d'Alene reservation land, they take the bus to get to where Victor's father was last seen. Along the way Thomas constantly tells stories to appease Victor's mind about his father - and the idea of his father that Victor keeps. While they are on the bus they meet a gymnast - who was supposedly in the Olympics - and Victor tells her off saying she can't complain.  Also along the way Victor teaches Thomas how to act like 'a real Native' (the strong stoic stereotype), and he reinforces this idea by having Thomas act the part. "Thomas, don't you even know how to be a real Indian? How many times have you seen 'Dances with Wolves' anyways? 100..200 times? Oh Jesus Thomas, you have seen it that many times?" (Alexie, 'Smoke Signals').  In the movie 'Smoke Signals' both Thomas and Victor could be interpreted as being the stereotype characters seen in many other films about the native tribes. (Victor - the strong, stoic one, and Thomas - the peaceful, in tune with nature type). But as the movie shows that is not all they can represent - when the film shows many other aspects of their personalities - perhaps even mirroring each other. Many theme's are similar as seen in Ceremony as well as in Smoke Signals such as: racism, alcoholism, stereotypes, communication, and healing through story telling. (As shown in Ceremony - with Tayo and his friends using alcohol to numb pain, does Victor's dad, and how Thomas help Victor heal with stories about the good in his father, as Tayo received and heard stories from Betonie, Josiah and others. They both use the idea of healing through story telling as a form of  communication as well - in both stories both main characters (Tayo / Victor and Thomas) use stories to communicate and understand other people and the past / history with better clearance. "I will tell you something about stories..They aren't just entertainment . Don't be fooled. They are all we have, you see, to fight off illness and death" (Silko). The representation of native cultures through the use of literature and film show the differences and similarities and ties in how stories are told.