An Embodiment of Resistance against Oppression: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Sherman Alexie's Selected Poems

Abstract

The present research aims to explore the resistance and counter-discourse against dominant narratives of white supremacy in Sherman Alexie’s poetry. Critical Discourse Analysis assesses and scrutinizes the methods by which a text or speech resists discourse. Therefore, the researcher has attempted to analyses three poems written by the Native American poet Sherman Alexie using a critical discourse analysis framework. By exploring various elements in the language of the poems, Sherman Alexie has resisted the mainstream American attitude towards Native Americans. The researcher has employed textual analysis and a qualitative approach to scrutinize the poet's text and examine how it challenges the conventional representation of Native Americans in American literature. This analysis highlights how Alexie's use of imagery, symbolism, and narrative voice challenges stereotypes and presents a more nuanced understanding of Native American identity. This nuanced understanding is crucial in dismantling the monolithic portrayals often found in mainstream narratives. By weaving personal and communal experiences into his poetry, Alexie not only reflects the diversity within Native American cultures but also invites readers to engage with their complexities and contradictions. By doing so, the poems reclaim cultural narratives and invite readers to engage with the complexities of contemporary Native American experiences.