Literature Help: Flight

By Students' Academy

“Flight” is written from the perspective of a first person. It has conversational tone. The inclusion of humor and abrupt confrontation makes the story more interesting and meaningful.

Taking its momentum from the historical events, the story moves from present to past and then back to present, exploring the relations between Native Americans and European Americans.

There are some allusions and references to real events, but the fictional part of the novel is set up parallel to the historical events.

Literature Help: Flight
Copyright
Chapter One: Introduction
Chapter Two: Plot Overview
Chapter Three: Characters
Chapter Four: Complete Summary
Chapter Five: Critical Analysis

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raja Sharma
• Release date: Jul 7, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311433411

Students' Academy

Easy study guides for the students of English literature.

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Literature Help: Flight

Students' Academy

Copyright

Literature Help: Flight

Students' Academy

Copyright@2014 Students' Academy

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Chapter One: Introduction

Flight by Sherman Alexie was first published on March 28, 2007. Zits is the central character and the narrator of the story. The story is told from the viewpoint of Zits, who happens to be a Native American teenager.

Zits happens to be a time travelling mass murderer. As an orphan, Zits happens to have spent his childhood as a foster child, often moving from one abusive family to another.

Justice is his friend. He introduces Zits to a new way of thinking. He gives him a new idea of committing random violence.

The story of the novel has been basically written about managing violence and disappointment in a post 9/11 world.

The story is written in a conversational style. The first person narrative by Zits is highly effective. It is noticeable that the narrator’s perspective compels the reader to empathize with the impulse towards violence.

The author, like in the author’s several other works, has written about the psychological and sociological consequences of marginalization. Zits, the central character, finds it very difficult to face the present circumstances with the background of his cultural past. He continues to struggle throughout the story.

Chapter Two: Plot Overview

As the novel opens, Zits wakes up in a new foster home. He does not like his new foster family. Pushing his foster mother against the wall, he runs out of the room.

Officer Dave chases Zits and catches him. He is taken to jail. During his time in jail, Zits comes across Justice, a white young boy. Justice is a known prisoner. He takes Zits under his wing.

Having been released from the prison, Zits finds Justice. Now they are friends. They start their training on how to shoot people.

When Just really believes that Zits is prepared to commit a real crime, he sends Zits off to a bank. Zits opens fire in the lobby of the bank. However, he realizes that he has been shot in the head. After that shooting incident, he is sent back in time.

Flashback starts at this point. During that flashback, Zits changes into several different historical characters. First of all, he is transformed into the character known as FBI Agent Hank Storm.

Zits now lives in Hank’s body. He sees a meeting with two Indians who are involved with IRON. Zits sees his partner kill an innocent Indian, and is compelled to shoot the dead body in the chest.

The second character Zits becomes is a mute Indian boy. Once again he is sent back into the time of General Custer’s last stand. He sees that historical battle. As the battle ends, his father tells him to slash a fallen soldier’s throat. It is a revenge for his own muteness.

Zits is