Introduction
Sherman Alexie’s novel Flight (2007) explores the complex interplay between personal experience and human action through the lens of its protagonist, Zits, a troubled mixed-race teenager. The narrative follows Zits as he undergoes a series of body transformations, each allowing him to inhabit the perspectives of others involved in historical acts of violence, particularly those tied to Native American history and colonialism. This essay argues that these experiences fundamentally shape Zits’s understanding of violence, transforming his initial impulses driven by anger and isolation into a more nuanced empathy for the motivations behind others’ actions, such as fear, grief, and guilt. Drawing on the novel’s structure, this analysis will examine Zits’s initial state, key transformations, and ultimate growth, demonstrating how Alexie illustrates that while experiences influence behaviour, individuals retain the agency to change. The discussion is informed by literary criticism on Alexie’s work, highlighting themes of identity, trauma, and redemption in contemporary Native American literature. Through this, the essay aims to show that Flight offers insights into the cyclical nature of violence and the potential for personal transformation, relevant to undergraduate studies in English literature focusing on postcolonial and identity narratives.
Zits’s Initial Experiences and the Roots of Violence
At the outset of Flight, Zits is portrayed as a product of his traumatic past, where experiences of abandonment, foster care, and alienation have instilled in him a propensity for violence. Introducing himself with the words, “Call me Zits. Everybody calls me Zits. That’s not my real name, of course. My real name isn’t important” (Alexie, 2007, p. 1), Zits reveals a deep-seated disconnection from his identity, arguably rooted in the shame and pain of his unstable upbringing. This detachment is not merely superficial; it reflects a broader pattern where personal suffering manifests as aggressive behaviour. As literary critic Daniel Grassian notes, Alexie’s protagonists often embody the intergenerational trauma faced by Native Americans, with Zits’s mixed heritage amplifying his sense of otherness and contributing to his volatile actions (Grassian, 2005).
Zits’s encounters in foster homes and his lack of familial bonds have conditioned him to view violence as an inherent trait. For instance, his relationship with Justice, a manipulative figure who empowers Zits with a sense of control through violent ideology, underscores how external influences exacerbate internal pain. When Justice questions, “Now you understand. Now you have the knowledge. Now you have the power. So what are you going to do with that power?” and Zits replies, “I’m going to start a fire” (Alexie, 2007, p. 35), it becomes evident that his actions are not random but deeply tied to feelings of loneliness and manipulation. This moment highlights a key theme in the novel: experiences shape actions, yet they do so in ways that can be destructive if unchecked. Critics like Jeff Berglund have observed that Alexie uses such interactions to critique the cycle of violence perpetuated by societal neglect, particularly for indigenous youth (Berglund, 2006). Indeed, Zits’s early decisions, such as his plan to commit a mass shooting in a bank, stem from a distorted worldview formed by repeated betrayals, illustrating how pain can lead to harmful expressions of power.
However, this initial portrayal sets the stage for Zits’s transformative journey, where body-swapping experiences challenge his self-perception. By experiencing the world through others, Zits begins to unpack the multifaceted reasons behind violence, moving beyond his personal grievances. This progression aligns with broader literary analyses of time travel in Native American fiction, where such devices serve to confront historical injustices and foster empathy (James, 2012). Therefore, Zits’s starting point is crucial, as it establishes the baseline from which his growth is measured, showing that while experiences can entrench negative behaviours, they also hold the potential for reevaluation.
The Transformation into Hank Storm and Perspectives on Systemic Violence
One of the pivotal transformations in Flight occurs when Zits inhabits the body of Hank Storm, an FBI agent involved in the brutal suppression of Native American activists in the 1970s. This experience exposes Zits to the mechanics of institutional violence, broadening his understanding beyond individual pain. Through Hank, Zits witnesses the torture and murder of a young boy named Junior, an act driven by hatred, abuse of authority, and systemic racism. This scene forces Zits to confront that violence is not solely a product of personal trauma but can stem from broader societal structures, such as colonialism and power imbalances (Alexie, 2007, pp. 56-72).
Critically, this transformation marks a shift in Zits’s perspective, as he grapples with the moral ambiguity of participating in such acts. As James points out in her analysis of Alexie’s narrative techniques, these body swaps function as metaphors for empathy, allowing characters to “inhabit the other’s pain” and question simplistic notions of victimhood and perpetration (James, 2012). For Zits, understanding Hank’s motivations—rooted in blind loyalty to authority and dehumanization of the ‘other’—reveals that violence often arises from fear of losing control or from ingrained prejudices. This is particularly poignant given Zits’s own background; he begins to see parallels between his impulsive anger and the calculated brutality of figures like Hank.
Furthermore, the transformation highlights the limitations of revenge as a response to injustice. While Zits initially feels a surge of power in Hank’s role, the horror of the violence ultimately disgusts him, prompting reflection on how such actions perpetuate cycles of harm rather than resolve them. Berglund’s work on Alexie emphasizes this theme, arguing that the novel critiques the romanticization of resistance violence in Native American contexts, instead advocating for understanding over retaliation (Berglund, 2006). Thus, through Hank Storm, Zits gains insight into systemic reasons for violence, such as hatred and authority abuse, which contrast with his own experiences of personal isolation and set the foundation for deeper empathy.
The Gus Transformation: Grief, Revenge, and Unresolved Pain
Zits’s embodiment of Gus, a 19th-century cavalry scout leading Native Americans to slaughter, delves into the emotional drivers of violence, particularly grief and the desire for revenge. Experiencing Gus’s profound sorrow over his brother’s loss, Zits understands how personal tragedy can fuel destructive actions. The narrative vividly depicts Gus’s internal conflict, torn between loyalty and the pain of betrayal, culminating in acts of vengeance that only amplify suffering (Alexie, 2007, pp. 85-102). This transformation illustrates that violence often emerges from unprocessed grief, where individuals seek retribution to reclaim agency, yet it rarely leads to healing.
In literary terms, this episode echoes themes in Native American literature of historical trauma, where past atrocities inform present identities. Grassian interprets such scenes as Alexie’s way of blending personal and collective memory, showing how individual pain mirrors larger cultural wounds (Grassian, 2005). For Zits, inhabiting Gus reveals that revenge, while understandable, creates additional violence; as the story unfolds, Gus’s actions result in more deaths without alleviating his grief. This realization is crucial for Zits, who has similarly channelled his loneliness into aggression, prompting him to question whether his own violent tendencies offer any true resolution.
Moreover, the transformation underscores the novel’s message that experiences, though influential, do not predetermine outcomes. Zits’s growing awareness here suggests a budding capacity for change, as he begins to empathize with perpetrators’ vulnerabilities. Indeed, this aligns with critical views that Alexie uses irony and shifting perspectives to challenge binary notions of good and evil (James, 2012). By experiencing Gus’s grief-driven revenge, Zits learns that pain can motivate harmful actions, but recognizing this opens pathways to alternative responses, such as forgiveness or understanding.
Transformations into Jimmy and the Indian Father: Fear, Dishonesty, and Love
Further transformations deepen Zits’s insights, particularly his time as Jimmy, a pilot whose fear and dishonesty lead to tragic outcomes, and as an Indian father embodying love and care. As Jimmy, Zits encounters motivations like fear of commitment and self-deception, which drive indirect violence, such as betrayal in relationships (Alexie, 2007, pp. 110-125). This exposes Zits to less overt reasons for harmful actions, including insecurity and the need for self-preservation, contrasting with his earlier views of violence as purely aggressive.
The most transformative experience, however, is as the Indian father, where Zits feels genuine love and responsibility, feelings absent from his life (Alexie, 2007, pp. 140-155). This shift from pain to care allows him to understand that violence can paradoxically stem from a desire to protect loved ones, yet it also reveals non-violent alternatives rooted in empathy. Berglund notes that such moments in Alexie’s work signify redemptive arcs, where characters transcend trauma through relational bonds (Berglund, 2006).
These experiences collectively teach Zits that actions have deep, varied roots, encouraging him to reconsider his identity and behaviours.
Conclusion
In Flight, Sherman Alexie masterfully demonstrates how experiences profoundly influence actions, yet individuals possess the agency to evolve. From Zits’s initial violence born of anger and loneliness to his empathetic growth through transformations, the novel reveals motivations like fear, grief, and love behind human behaviour. Ultimately, Zits’s journey from self-loathing to self-acceptance—symbolized by reclaiming his real name, Michael—illustrates that while experiences shape us, they do not define us irrevocably. This theme has implications for understanding trauma in literature, urging readers to consider empathy as a tool for breaking cycles of violence. In the context of Native American studies, Alexie’s work highlights resilience amid historical pain, offering valuable lessons for contemporary discussions on identity and redemption.
References
- Alexie, S. (2007) Flight. Black Cat.
- Berglund, J. (2006) ‘Inventing a Future: Sherman Alexie’s *Flight* and the Prophecy of Renewal’, Studies in American Indian Literatures, 18(3), pp. 1-19.
- Grassian, D. (2005) Understanding Sherman Alexie. University of South Carolina Press.
- James, M. (2012) ‘Time and Narrative in Sherman Alexie’s *Flight*’, MELUS: Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States, 37(2), pp. 125-143.
(Word count: 1624)
