Do you know where I am by Sherman Alexie - Book Report/Review Example

Analysis of what is communicated about starting life afresh with another person in “Do you know where I am?” bySherman Alexie Introduction “Do you know where I am” is a story by Sherman Alexie who highlights the challenges and rewards that Sharon goes through after she fell in love with David and got married to when she dies 50 years later (p. 168). In this story Alexie attempts to show that although two people who are in marriage can disagree and get into various tussles from time to time, the memories that come from the friendship and the companionship is what keeps the other person going in case of demise. He shows how David and Sharon who were in love since their college life in “we were in love” (p. 151) went through several challenges and tussles such as divorce but still worked on their marriage to have a long cherished one. With this, individuals find themselves at a person and cultural crossroads where a test in present on their loyalties in relation to the notion of whom they are as well as the people they love. Some of the experiences that cause disturbances at first may be the source of learning experiences and help to build a strong future. This paper will analyze the challenges and rewards that the characters in the story went through to have a successful marriage life that was cherished by their four children after the death of their mother. This is a story that is narrated by David who tells how he met and married Sharon. He later gives an account of the death of his partner 50 years after their marriage. At this point he is in a dilemma and a difficult situation is presented to him in relation to the need to start to build a relationship with someone else. Although he still holds on to the memories that they shared with Sharon, he needs a companion who will also help him to move on with his life. It is at this point that he has to weigh between the challenges and rewards that come with having to get into another friendship and companionship union with another person who is not the previous partners. This is because of the experiences that he has in crafting and maintaining a rewarding marriage (Alexie 56). There is a lot of emotional attachment that comes with building life with another person. This kind of relationship requires a great deal of experiences that are given by life. David and Sharon are shown to live a flawless marriage until the time that Sharon dies 50 years later. It is influenced by a previous experience in their life during courtship when they find a lost black cat. Although in most of the societies black is meant to indicate bad luck or an omen, in their experience, the black cat provides a bright future for them. David realizes the ills of taking all credit from another person’s efforts. Subsequently, he learns to appreciate Sharon for all of her efforts thus being able to earn her trust and love. According to Graccian (186), it is an indication that long lasting relationships are built on trust. Building a life with a another person is an indication that the people are meant for each other and can therefore share a number of life experiences together. These include both the good moments and the bad moments in life (Copeland par. 1-5). They provide support for each other and uplift one another during the low moments. This is shown from the very first scene where David meets and falls in love with Sharon who is also another Native American. This takes place during the first social mixer at the freshman year at the Catholic college in Seattle. David narrates that he loved Sharon so much that he believed that he was the best man for her. This is stated in ”Call it a potent mixture of arrogance and self hatred, but I believed I was the only Indian man good enough for my Indian wife…I didn’t understand what I was feeling, and I didn’t know what to do” (Alexie 34)where a feeling of guilt and utter disappointment in expressed. Although he may need someone else to give this kind of feeling, the earlier notion that he was only meant for Sharon may not make it possible to start building his life with somebody else all over again. Getting to build a life with another person indicates that there are a number of life’s good and bad moments that wait each of the individual in the future. It is well indicated when Sharon dies 50 years after their meeting leaving him in a desolate state and with the decision on whether to start building a life with a different person (Copeland par. 1-8). David remembers the earlier times that he met with Sharon and the times they shared at the college. He thinks of how difficult it will be to rebuild a life with another person more than 50 years after the first encounter. It would be a huge challenge to do the things that they did initially (Copeland, par. 1-5). For example, during their life at the college, the two of them frequently quoted literary works of classic to each other. They also sneaked into each other’s dormitories rooms to make love. This is despite that fact that there was a possibility of expulsion as a result of “moral violations”. It is these challenges that thrilled the two parties more and compelled them to love each other in a better way. This would be difficult for David now as the environment has changed among other factors that also include his age and ability to take part in various activities (Gracca 187). In the story, Sherman Alexie looks at the history of marriage through the reflection and the analysis of a long marriage. The sweet and painful ordeal of a long marriage and the bitter sadness of the long marriage that is cut short are portrayed. Despite the fact that some challenges will be presented with having to build a life and live in the same way as he did with Sharon, it will be worth as it will help to erase the sad memories that have been left behind. In addition, the tradition of struggle that is portrayed in the story is likely to make David put in a lot of efforts to restore his life to the initial state. It is based on the fact that a man in motion still possesses another chance to do things differently and achieve what it is that they had achieved before. With this, they will still be in a position to make the initial mark that they had before. In this case, the same achievement and fulfillment that David had when he met and married Sharon would be the same one that he would have if he met another person that would help him to live a life similar to the one that they had with Sharon and hence build his life all over again. Conclusion There are several activities and actions that are considered to be normal in life. One of these is meeting and being able to live with a partner as is shown by Sherman Alexie in the book. The joy that comes with this relationship may present the notion that it is forever. As such, the individual may not be prepared for any individuality that includes loss. In the event of the demise of one partner, a major challenge is presented with regard to building a life with another person. In this case, a dilemma is presented against the rewards that come with this experience. Works Cited Alexie, Shermane. Ten Little Indians. New York: Grove. 2004. Copeland, J. Adam. “Book review (or rave, really): Sherman Alexies "Ten Little Indians". 2014. Web Grassian, D. Understanding Sherman Alexie. Columbia, SC: Univ. of South Carolina Press, 2006. Read More