What It Means to Say Phoenix Arizona
What does it mean? Although some people may not think too much of things as insignificant as names or symbols, there is always a reason an author puts them in a story. Sherman Alexi’s “This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix Arizona” is a great example of a story that is full of many different kinds of symbolism, ranging from animals to people, even the story’s title. Understanding of Alexi’s symbols in the story is crucial in understanding the meaning of the story as a whole. A symbol is anything that stands for, or represents, something else. Its place in any story is to add depth, often emphasizing the message or meaning of a story as a whole. The symbolism in “This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix Arizona” is what adds depth to the characters and events that take place in the story. Without an understanding of these symbols, ones interpretation of the work, or any work, can be incomplete and lacking in substance. However, a rich understanding of symbols can often transcend the literature itself and allow the reader to question his or herself on an intellectual or emotional level, and of course allows a deeper understanding of the text. The main symbol of the story is the mythological bird, the Phoenix. Not only is it’s ideology found several times throughout the story, it’s in the story’s own title. A Phoenix, according to Egyptian mythology is a bird that lives for one thousand years only to be engulfed in flames at the end of it, and is reborn from its own ashes. Perhaps the strongest allusion to the Phoenix is found in Victor’s journey. Throughout the story you can see his transformation. In the beginning of the story you can see that Victor is angry, and is uncaring of his heritage. All he cares about is getting to Phoenix and claiming is father’s ashes. He encounters Thomas Builds-the-fire, who is described as a “storyteller whom nobody listens to”. Victor says he “keeps telling the same damn stories”, indicating that