Homework 1
Read the excerpt from Sherman Alexie’s short story “Dear John Wayne” from his collection Toughest Indian in the World. Answer each question below in 2 to 5 complete sentences.
1. Provide a specific example of how this excerpt illustrates the insider/outsider dichotomy.
2. Alexie is a Spokane and Coeur D’Alene tribal member. As such, this is a biased piece from the insider perspective. Considering this, what point do you think the author is trying to make in this excerpt?
3. How might this insider perspective inform our approach as classroom ethnomusicologists? What might be important to keep in mind regarding this delicate relationship between the researcher and the researched?