Post 9

A literacy event, as defined by Heath, is “a conceptual tool useful in examining within particular communities of modern society the actual forms and functions of oral and literate traditions and co-existing relationships between spoken and written language.”  She also states that a literacy event “is any occasion in which a piece of writing is integral to the nature of the participants’ interactions and their interpretive processes.” Some of the literacy events she identifies in Trackton that are necessary to show literacy skills are important, are in the church life and at work. These events are deemed important to integrate both oral and written language, because learning to read is judged in their daily lives and these people had to grow accustomed to participating in literacy events in ways that are appropriate to their community’s norms.

This concept could be applied to Sherman Alexie’s literacy narrative, because it was necessary to partake in events such as story telling and powwows, as an Indian. The Indian children were expected to be stupid and not participate in class. On the outside, these individuals who acted “stupid” were able to tell complex stories and remember how to sing many different songs used at the powwows. This was the norm for the community, so if one wanted to be accepted, they needed to follow. Even though in his community, being a smart Indian is viewed as a dangerous person, and those that are smart, are feared and ridiculed by other Indians, as well as non-Indians.  Instead, Alexie read everything that he could read and tried to save himself from the same fate that most of his peers faced.