Smoke Signals Symbolism

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Director Chris Eyre crafts moving symbolism within his film Smoke Signals, contrasting the stereotypical representation of Indians in typical Western films by depicting a powerful flare of struggle through past pain and ultimate tranquility in the soul of Victor Joseph. Victor’s initial character is a product of deep-rooted anger at his father, Arnold Joseph, and the alcoholism and abusive actions that he partook during Victor's childhood. This prodded Victor to direct an abrasive manner toward all individuals he encounters, particularly his cousin, Thomas, who maintains a respectful stance of Arnold. In the event of Arnold’s death, the duo took both a literal and metaphorical journey to Phoenix in order to retrieve Arnold’s remains and uncover a path of new growth. The symbolic elements present along this journey, such as …show more content…
His rage is additionally evident in flashbacks of his antagonizing stance during basketball. The house fire is skillfully revisited at a turning point in Victor’s development, where Suzi Song informs him that his father was responsible for the fire as a result of drunken miscalculation. In hearing this news, Victor is sent into a maelstrom of anger as he begins to search for himself and answers concerning his father. The final flashback revisits the house fire for the last time, as Victor is shown running away from the reality of the fire with all his power. He eventually collapses, as he can no longer run from his inner inferno. He is shown to be given an aiding hand in the image of his father, and once he accepts it, he no longer receives haunting flashbacks. The flashback progression depicts the unraveling of Victor’s inner blaze of loathing into clarity and amnesty concerning his father and himself, signifying the importance of coming to terms with one’s inner