Smoke Signals

A constant occurring theme displayed in the film, Smoking Signals is dealing with an individual’s past in order to progress in one’s future. A saying that was introduced in the beginning of the movie was “Sometimes to go forward you have to drive in reverse”. This quote sheds light upon many occurrences within the film, and it begins with the dark history of Americans conquering the land of the Native Americans. As a result of this, the contemporary Native Americans deal with the troublesome encounters with “whites” by being socially, economically and culturally shunned from what was their native homeland before the Americans came. They have chosen to cope with historical misfortune by decided to adhere to their ancestor’s cultural practices, of story-telling, living on a reservation, the making of traditional dishes and lastly the traits associated with being an Native American such as bravery, stoicism, as well as other practiced traditions opposed to conforming to traditions and cultures of White Americans.

The main characters Victor and Thomas both have encountered troubling events as children in the past that have affected them as young adults. Thomas adheres to the cultural traditions of Native Americans, however being raised by his grandmother after the death of his parents has hindered his growth as a “Native American” male. The lack of presence by Arnold Joseph in his son’s life has caused a lot of anger and resentment within his life. Both young men turned to each other for support because they had a lack of a father figure within their life. The turning point where they are able to bury their troubles and move forward with their lives is traveling to retrieve Arnold’s remains. During their journey they got into an accident and for the first time in their relationship aside, they were able to set aside their differences and overall their relationship transitioned from “frenemies” to realizing that they both had a lot more in common they originally thought and even were able to grow from the troubles they dealt with as children. In the end the two young men are able to cope with their misfortunes with the learned knowledge of their past as well as their shared cultural values.

 

 

American Smooth

Rita Dove

“American Smooth”

We were dancing—it must have

been a foxtrot or a waltz,

something romantic but

requiring restraint,

rise and fall, precise

execution as we moved

into the next song without

stopping, two chests heaving

above a seven-league

stride—such perfect agony,

one learns to smile through,

ecstatic mimicry

being the sine qua non

of American Smooth.

And because I was distracted

by the effort of

keeping my frame

(the leftward lean, head turned

just enough to gaze out

past your ear and always

smiling, smiling),

I didn’t notice

how still you’d become until

we had done it

(for two measures?

four?)—achieved flight,

that swift and serene

magnificence,

before the earth

remembered who we were

and brought us down. We were dancing—it must have

been a foxtrot or a waltz,

something romantic bustride—such perfect agony,one learns to smile through,ecstatic mimicrybeing the sine qua nonof American Smooth.And because I was distractedby the effort of keeping my frame(the leftward lean, head turnedjust enough to gaze outpast your ear and alwayssmiling, smiling),I didn’t noticehow still you’d become untilwe had done it(for two measures?four?)—achieved flight,that swift and serenemagnificence,before the earthremembered who we wereand brought us down. In Rita Dove’s, American Smooth she illustrates the narrator’s delicate rheumatic passion for ballroom dancing. Rita Dove and her husband Fred Viebahn began dancing after their house burned down after it was struck by lightning. To get their mind off of the bizarre tragedy, their neighbors invited them to a benefit dinner, where the couple saw other couples engaging in ballroom dancing. Rita and her husband always interested in learning how to dance, and signed up for introductory classes after the dinner. The couple has been ballroom dancing ever since. In an interview, Rita Dove states that “Though there's nothing like a jazzy fox-trot to combine both the Western and the African American traditions, and the quickstep is essential if you want to feel both light and swift, I prefer the Latin dances-cha-cha, rumba, mambo-but samba is my favorite. That dance has sass! And it's terrifically difficult to do well, because for all that wriggling and grinding, it demands tremendous restraint. Coiled energy, grace, and punch-just like poetry.” Along with a dancing background, Rita Dove also has experience in playing the cello which also influences the lyricism in her poetry. Dove’s poems that are inspired for her love for dance is written in the technique of the dance performed in the poetry. While writing American Smooth “The gradual lowering from tiptoe that one executes in the second half of the third beat in the waltz-only then did "American Smooth" start to shimmer into being. My scaffolding was to provide a humble description of the dance technique-what each part of the body should be doing, measured out precisely, without emotion-in the hopes of finding the poem's true desire, to achieve flight of consciousness, a lifting of the spirit as well as of the human form. The political implications of the American brand of smooth has suggested, in turn, different avenues to pursue in other poems that are not printed here.” The overall essence of American Smooth portrays the importance of in spite of any obstacles that may come to an individual it is important to keep a “good poker face”. American Smooth clearly correlates Rita Dove’s musical and dance background while also showing the audience that it is okay to decline societal conformities.