“Dear John Wayne”
Sherman Alexie’s story Dear John Wayne is a deconstruction of an American hero. This story fits along with the themes in, The Toughest Indian in the World, that the American motifs of strong and successful individuals do not always have it together. This story reveals that American icons may not always be who they seem to be, there are unjustified obsessions with American icons, and the conflict between white people and Indians. This short story allows one to see that our image of American icons and heroes can become clouded from predetermined personas created in the limelight.
In the short story, Dear John Wayne, the love relationship between John Wayne and Etta is a shocking romance between an American icon and a young Spokane Indian girl. Many viewed John Wayne as the American cowboy who starred in many movies. His image was supposed to fill American youth with the excitement and masculinity of being a cowboy. When Cox goes to interview Etta he is stunned to hear that she claims to have lost her virginity to John Wayne. He responds, “Your speaking metaphorically, of course” (195). Etta goes on to explain the relationship between her and John Wayne and how he had a desire to be known for who he was on a personal level not for who he was a movie star. John Wayne even expresses that he loves Etta even though he has known her for only a few days and when Etta runs away from him in the middle of the Navajo desert John chases her down and when he catches her he breaks down crying and says he just wants to be Marion Morrison he says “nobody knows me” (200). This description shows that the icon of a celebrity can cover up who they really are as a person. Etta even shares that John Wayne had a family during the time of their romance and that he would not leave his family but even though he was in love with Etta. From Etta we also find out that John Wayne was scared of horses, which is ironic because most American’s viewed him as a cowboy. From...