Smoke Signals Analysis

In the movie Smoke Signals directed by Chris Eyre, Eyre explains how Post Traumatic Stress has affected the character Victor Joseph, how our father's pasts effect our futures, and how racism has affected individuals from the various Native Nations. Victor's father Arnold fought in a war and also killed Thomas's parents which caused him to drink and ultimately affect Victor's well being. Eyre conveys a conversation between Thomas and Victor, "Your father saved my life' 'Thomas you don't even know my father. Did you know that my father was the one that set your parent's house on fire? Did you know that my father beat my mother? Did you know that my father beat me too?' 'All I know is that when your father left your mother lost you too.' 'Thomas I wish that fire had killed you.' 'Victor LOOK OUT!"' (Smoke Signals). Arnold has had a tough past and because of this his Post Traumatic Stress has affected everyone he loves, especially Victor. Arnold tries to heal by leaving his family and finding Suzy Song, who became Arnold's Ts'eh and allowed him to heal like Tayo in Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko. Can Victor ever forgive Arnold for beating his mother and him or his actions that led up to the beatings. Eyre conveys, "How do we forgive our fathers? Maybe in a dream. Do we forgive our fathers for leaving us too often, or forever, when we were little? Maybe for scaring us with unexpected rage, or making us nervous because there never seemed to be any rage there at all? Do we forgive our fathers for marrying, or not marrying, our mothers? Or divorcing, or not divorcing, our mothers? And shall we forgive them for their excesses of warmth or coldness? Shall we forgive them for pushing, or leaning? For shutting doors or speaking through walls? For never speaking, or never being silent? Do we forgive our fathers in our age, or in theirs? Or in their deaths, saying it to them or not saying it. If we forgive our fathers, what is left?" (Smoke Signals). Victor's father's past dramatically affects Victor's future. If Victor's father never fought in a war than Arnold wouldn't have Post Traumatic Stress, which in turn would mean he wouldn't beat his wife or his son. If Victor forgave Arnold for being the man he has become and suppressed those memories of him, then Victor couldn't understand why Arnold has changed from his traumatic experiences. In this film, we also see how individuals from the various Native Nations are treated by the white people. Eyre conveys, "This man apparently wants to press charges against you. He said and I quote 'you assaulted him and pushed him to the ground.' 'That's bullshit.' 'Mr. Joseph there's no need for that type of language. Mr. Johnson's wife Holly says he's, and I quote, 'a complete asshole"' (Smoke Signals). This shows that the cops needed to have the proof from his white wife that the white husband was an asshole because there was no way this cop was going to believe two Native American men.