"The Approximate Size of His Favorite Humor" by Joseph L. Coulombe

In his article The Approximate Size of His Favorite Humor, Coulombe argues against critics who claim that Sherman Alexie's use of humor within The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven confirms the white American's perception of the stereotypical drunken Indian. Instead, he explains that Alexie constructs a paradox, where humor simultaneously creates relationships and destroys them, provides connection and isolates, offers the potential for understanding and leaves the reader in dark. These constantly shifting meanings of how humor is employed within the stories and the purpose it serves allow readers to make their own distinctions between the Indian culture and mainstream America. Alexie is able to successfully achieve this by loading each story with sarcasm, satire and subtext. In doing so, he creates a bond between Indians and whites, where both groups are able to transcend their differences and unite.

Further into his article, Coulombe introduces two concepts that Alexie uses to challenge his readers, the frontier and a zone of contact. The frontier describes a literary technique used mostly by Indian writers that involves the author creating a wide range of different perspectives that ultimately help to withstand any limiting kinds of prejudices or stereotypes. The zone of contact, a theory developed by Mikhail Bakhtin, says that laughter is powerful enough to destroy any fear or pity, where the characters or the reader experience a catharsis that allows them to freely explore whatever subject is being discussed. Both of these concepts force readers to have an opinion. Alexie, therefore, encourages readers to challenge stereotypes, to seek a deeper understanding and ultimately, recognize that laughter helps us to rise above our prejudices and become better people in the process.