The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven Lesson Plan

Why is Junior’s path so different from his peers who went to reservation schools?

This question opens a door to talk about reservation life. The Spokane reservation, like many reservations, is rife with poverty, as Alexie shows in many of the stories. As a result, the schools are often incredibly poor and under-resourced. Students who attend poor schools often do not have the opportunity to go to college or obtain high-paying jobs. Victor has an opportunity to go to a predominantly white school off the reservation. This separates him from his reservation peers because he is able to position himself to go to college. It also, as “Indian Education” suggests, makes him feel...