In Indian Killer, a lot of the characterization happens through dialogue between characters and their internal thought as shown through a 3rd person omniscient point of view. Also, in this book, Sherman Alex utilizes a stark contrast between White and Native American lifestyles with little to no time spent on positive interactions between the two. At the end, the conflict is never quite resolved; the Indian Killer is never discovered. It’s almost as if Alexie is admitting that sometimes with an issue, one never finds out all the answers.
Theme
The major theme of Indian Killer is atonement through violence. This is the reason for the racism that’s causing violence throughout the novel. David Rogers brother, Aaron, and his cronies begin beating innocent Indians on the street to make them pay for David’s disappearance. On the flip side, Reggie and his crew begin attacking white people for their crimes against the Native Americans.
Symbols
The Owl
The bird of prey is introduced as an omen of death. The killer leaves two owl feathers at the scene of each crime. Also, Jack Wilson sees an owl when he dreams of a car crash that killed his parents when he was a child.
Feathers
The feathers also symbolize a connection to the spirits in Native American culture. Since it is often referenced that the killer has come about because someone is doing the ghost dance, the feathers might be the killer’s proof that they are from the gods.
Ghost Dance
To the Indians, this is the sign that justifies the Indian Killer’s crimes and give him motive. The Polatkins both mention this dance as a fear tactic.
Characters
John Smith: As Indian adopted as a baby by a white couple, John Smith ended up with some serious mental issues. He lives in an all-white area and late in life develops Schizophrenia. As a child his parents had him baptized by an Indian Jesuit who eventually walks off into the desert never to be seen again. For the rest of his life, John imagines being visited by this pastor.
Marie Polatkin: Marie is activist in the Indian community. She’s known by the homeless of Seattle as the “Sandwich Lady” and often is involved in protests in her free time. This year in college she decided to take Professor Mather’s Native American Literature class to see if he actually knew what he was talking about. She also is curious to understand why her cousin was expelled from college at the hands of this professor.
Reggie Polatkin: As a child, Reggie was beaten by his racist father who taught him that all Indians were savage and if he knew all of the things that Indians did wrong he could follow in his white father’s footsteps. It would seem this is what allows him to justify any his violence against innocents. Eventually Reggie goes apart from the family and believes that all white men are nothing but violent and makes it his mission to make them pay.
Jack Wilson: Jack is an author who believes that he is part Indian due to a possible great great uncle’s Shilshomish blood. In the white community, he’s loved for his main character Aristotle Little Hawk, but the Indian community doesn’t believe his claims to being part Indian. Though he often goes into Indian bars, he’s shunned by the other patrons.
Truck Schultz: A popular host in Seattle, Truck Shultz is the main source of information on the Indian Killer’s crimes. Often, he tells the white population that the Indians are here to corrupt them and must be eradicated.
Clarence Mather: A professor that teaches a Native American Literature class, Mather is in love with the idea of being an Indian. He is a white man who has grown out his hair into a pony tail and isn’t seen without a bolo tie. Mather used to be very close with Reggie Polatkin. Reggie looked up to him as a father since his was highly abusive. Their friendship broke apart after Mather lied about burning tapes that had old Indian folk tales recorded on them. He later had Reggie kicked out of college for threatening him after the lies.
Marie Polatkin: Marie is activist in the Indian community. She’s known by the homeless of Seattle as the “Sandwich Lady” and often is involved in protests in her free time. This year in college she decided to take Professor Mather’s Native American Literature class to see if he actually knew what he was talking about. She also is curious to understand why her cousin was expelled from college at the hands of this professor.
Reggie Polatkin: As a child, Reggie was beaten by his racist father who taught him that all Indians were savage and if he knew all of the things that Indians did wrong he could follow in his white father’s footsteps. It would seem this is what allows him to justify any his violence against innocents. Eventually Reggie goes apart from the family and believes that all white men are nothing but violent and makes it his mission to make them pay.
Jack Wilson: Jack is an author who believes that he is part Indian due to a possible great great uncle’s Shilshomish blood. In the white community, he’s loved for his main character Aristotle Little Hawk, but the Indian community doesn’t believe his claims to being part Indian. Though he often goes into Indian bars, he’s shunned by the other patrons.
Truck Schultz: A popular host in Seattle, Truck Shultz is the main source of information on the Indian Killer’s crimes. Often, he tells the white population that the Indians are here to corrupt them and must be eradicated.
Clarence Mather: A professor that teaches a Native American Literature class, Mather is in love with the idea of being an Indian. He is a white man who has grown out his hair into a pony tail and isn’t seen without a bolo tie. Mather used to be very close with Reggie Polatkin. Reggie looked up to him as a father since his was highly abusive. Their friendship broke apart after Mather lied about burning tapes that had old Indian folk tales recorded on them. He later had Reggie kicked out of college for threatening him after the lies.
Plot Diagram
Point of View
By using a third person omniscient point of view, Sherman Alexie allows the story switch the focus to other characters. It also allows for the tension to increase when the killer is at work because the reader gets to understand the victims’ thoughts and emotions. Particularly in the case of John Smith, tension created by this point of view allows the reader to understand that while they know his insane thoughts, the people around him just see him as a harmless, handsome Indian.