“This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona” As a Short Story

 

Edgar Allen Poe and Brander Matthews have a very narrow definition for what qualifies as a short story. According to Matthews, a short story “shows one action, in one place, on one day. A Short-story deals with a single character, a single event, a single emotion, or the series of emotions called forth by a single situation. Sherman Alexie challenges this notion with his short story “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona” which does a deep dive into the lives of both Victor and Thomas. One does not come away from this story with the complete picture of a single situation like Matthews describes, but an idea of what the lives of our main characters have been like leading up to the beginning of the story, and of what their lives might be like after the story’s conclusion. 

The most striking difference between Alexie’s and Matthews’ interpretation of a short story is the myriad of flashbacks Alexie includes in “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona.” Most of the important information in the story comes from these flashbacks, while the present situation simply allows Thomas and Victor to look back and reflect on their pasts. When Thomas tells Victor “Your father said you would need the help. He was right.” after sharing the story of his dream when he was 13, it ultimately doesn’t affect their current situation. They’re still on their way to retrieve Victor’s father’s body and bring it back home. But it does change Victor’s understanding of their past relationship and their potential future relationship. This directly goes against Matthews definition of a short story as “a single event, a single emotion”, because Victor is simultaneously thinking about his mission of getting his father, as well as all that has happened between him and Thomas

“This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona” does include a series of emotions called forth by their situation, but unlike Matthews’ definition those emotions come from two different characters and from a myriad of situations. As readers we get insight into Thomas’ loneliness even as a child when he “walked through the corridors of the tribal school by himself,” but we also see Victor’s rage when he beats up Thomas for no apparent reason other than he was drunk as well as the happiness both men feel when talking to the Olympic gymnast on the plane. These are three completely separate situations, each evoking a different emotion from one of or both our main characters. Alexie doesn’t aim to connect all of these situations and emotions together, but introduces the readers to many aspects of both men and their complicated relationship.

Alexie doesn’t try to fit “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona” into Matthews’ definition of the genre, and writes it much more similarly to a traditional novel that has been squeezed into far fewer pages. But yet this is ultimately a short story, meaning Matthews simply made a bad definition that didn’t account for any of the creativity or complexities that Alexie and many other writers use to enhance their stories. If “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona” was only about one of the many situations included in the story, it would be far less compelling. It’s irresponsible to try and boil down Victor and Thomas’ experiences into one scene. Instead, their entire lives are surmised and brought to life, including their past, present, and future.