He describes "the contrary powers of Indian humor" as "he powers to heal and to hurt, to bond and to exorcize, to renew and to purge" (5). In Indi'n Humor Kenneth Lincoln explains the many different roles of humor within Indian communities. The function of humor changes from scene to scene, shifting to serve these myriad goals. He uses humor-or his characters use humor-to reveal injustice, protect self-esteem, heal wounds, and create bonds. In this essay I will argue that Alexie's humor is central to a constructive social and moral purpose evident throughout his fiction but particularly in his collection of short stories, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. To many critics his playfulness may demonstrate skill as a writer, but it betrays Indian people by presenting them as clichés who deserve to be laughed at. For example, Louis Owens writes that Alexie's humor "deflects any 'lesson in morality'" (76) Gloria Bird decries Alexie's characters as "social and cultural anomalies" (49) and Elizabeth Cook-Lynn argues that he neglects "art as an ethical endeavor or the artist as responsible social critic" (126). His critics characterize his writing as harmful pandering to white expectations, arguing that Alexie not only avoids the moral and social obligation to educate white readers and reinstill cultural pride in Indian readers, he also works actively against such goals with his humor. Although he often earns praise as a clever manipulator of language, Alexie, like Seymour, is also censured for his depictions of Indians and Indian culture, particularly from other Indian writers. To a degree the film investigates Alexie's own choices and their repercussions. 1 Many of his Indian friends who remain on the reservation accuse him of selling out to white society. In Sherman Alexie's recent directorial debut, The Business of Fancydancing (viewed in April, 2002, at the Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema), the primary character, Seymour, is a Spokane Indian who moves to Seattle to attend college and pursue fame as a poet.
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