Julie Szekely

For a group work in class our group was assigned to read and discuss The Only Traffic Signal. This is a short story discussing the role of heroes on the reservation. They talk about Julius Windmaker who was the best basketball player around but then was involved with alcohol and it ruined his career. Adrian and Victor had expected this but was still hoping it would not happen. What I took from this story was that they all depend on their heroes to look up to but it always seems like even the heroes eventually collapse and fail. One thing they stated was what they do when all of their heroes can no longer pay their bills. This shows us how they are all bound to turn to alcohol and drugs and ruin their lives. I believe that maybe the significance of the title, “The Only Traffic Signal on the Reservation Doesn’t Flash Red Anymore,” is to represent Windmaker as if he is no longer a hero and he has burnt out. They are running out of heroes to look up to on the reservation. No one is stopping and avoiding the influence of drugs and alcohol and everyone is just continuing to abuse them.

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