When we dive into Sherman Alexie’s novel “Flight,” we’re not just engaging with a narrative; we’re embarking on a journey of profound personal transformation. The protagonist, Zits, is not your average teenage character. He grapples with identity, belonging, and the weight of his past. Through a series of surreal experiences and time-traveling escapades, Zits undergoes a metamorphosis that challenges him to confront both himself and the world around him. In this essay, we’ll explore how Alexie crafts Zits’s personality transformation throughout the novel and what it ultimately signifies in terms of healing and self-discovery.
Understanding Zits: A Boy Lost
To appreciate Zits’s transformation, we first need to understand where he begins. At the outset of “Flight,” Zits is an angry teenager caught in a cycle of neglect and abandonment. His mixed Native American heritage leaves him feeling like an outsider in both white society and his own community. This internal conflict manifests as rage—an emotion that often drives his actions throughout the early parts of the book. It’s easy to see why readers might find him unlikable at times; he lashes out at those around him without regard for consequences. But beneath that tough exterior lies a boy desperately searching for connection.
Alexie masterfully portrays Zits’s feelings through vivid imagery and emotional depth. We feel his pain when he recalls memories of his mother abandoning him or when he reflects on being shuffled from one foster home to another like some unwanted piece of furniture. These experiences carve out deep scars within him, making it hard for anyone—including himself—to see beyond the façade he has created.
The Catalyst for Change
The real turning point comes when Zits finds himself transported back in time through various historical events involving Native Americans. Each journey offers him insights into different aspects of his heritage, filled with rich narratives that weave together threads from history that are often overlooked or misrepresented in mainstream discourse.
In these moments, Alexie introduces us to characters who embody both strength and vulnerability—traits that resonate deeply with Zits as he confronts versions of himself across time periods. For instance, during one episode where he embodies an Indian man in 1975 fighting against racism, Zits starts recognizing parallels between their struggles and his own feelings of alienation today.
A Journey Through Empathy
What makes these temporal shifts particularly compelling is how they force Zits to step outside himself—to literally walk in someone else’s shoes (or moccasins). With each new experience comes fresh perspectives on pain, loss, love, betrayal—the full spectrum of human emotions—and suddenly our protagonist isn’t just an angry teen anymore; he’s becoming empathetic toward others’ suffering too.
This development doesn’t happen overnight—it takes multiple encounters before we notice significant changes within Zits’s character arc. Yet each episode serves as a puzzle piece leading toward an eventual realization: understanding others’ stories can help us navigate our own turmoil more effectively.
The Role of Forgiveness
A vital part of this transformation is forgiveness—both seeking it from others but also granting it towards oneself. Throughout “Flight,” Alexie emphasizes how holding onto anger only perpetuates cycles of violence and trauma while letting go allows room for healing—and this becomes crucially important as Zits continues navigating through historical contexts marked by brutality against Indigenous peoples.
By encountering figures who have endured tremendous hardship yet managed moments of grace amidst despair (like resilience found within their communities), Zits begins reevaluating relationships back home—notably those with figures like his estranged father or friends lost along the way due to misunderstandings rooted in anger rather than genuine communication.
An Emergence into Identity
As we reach the climax toward resolution near the end points within “Flight,” it becomes clear: this isn’t merely about individual salvation but rather collective identity renewal among marginalized voices historically silenced over generations—a testimony woven deeply into every page written by Alexie celebrating resilience against overwhelming odds! With newfound clarity gained through experience alongside introspection reflecting upon painful histories shared amongst countless others before him—Zit emerges transformed; no longer just a vessel defined by past traumas but rather someone embracing complexities associated with identity formation filled now instead with hope!
The Power Within Transformation
This brings me back full circle: Personality transformation isn’t about discarding who you were entirely; instead it’s allowing past narratives—even painful ones—to inform present choices while fostering growth along pathways paved anew! As readers traverse alongside young protagonists enduring trials reminiscent even today—we become witnesses ourselves witnessing strength found rising up against adversity allowing healing possible & connections forged stronger than ever before!
Sherman Alexie’s “Flight” paints raw portraits brimming vibrancy reflecting urgency entwined across diverse cultures inviting contemplation on interconnectedness built over centuries often hidden under layers forgotten until now revealed anew through storytelling revealing power innate within transformations birthed alongside shared journeys undertaken!
References
- Alexie, Sherman. “Flight.” Grove Press, 2007.
- Duarte-Alonso, A., & Foster Jr., W.M., “Consumer Resilience Through Narrative Therapy.” Journal Of Consumer Marketing.” Vol 35 No 6 (2018): 633-643
- Baldwin , J.A., “Racism And American Indians” Journal Of Sociology . Vol 18 No1 (2020): 102-115
