Theme of Perseverance in Reservation Blues Essay Example

Many may say that intellect, optimism, or just plain luck lead to success. Others may say that grit is the biggest factor of success. In the novel Reservation Blues, written by Sherman Alexie, the characters struggle to achieve their dreams. The main protagonists of the story, who make up the band Coyote Springs, face difficult situations. They face conflicts amongst the band members and against society. However, because many characters in Reservation Blues show unbridled perseverance, regardless of the obstacles ahead, they achieve the greatness that benefits themselves, and their community. 

First, Thomas Builds-The-Fire shows perseverance while leading the band. Thomas practices his music for long hours. He also motivates the band members to come together, and try their best. For example, the novel states, “As his growling stomach provided the rhythm, Thomas sat again with his bass guitar, wrote the first song, and called it “Reservation Blues.”’ (Alexie 47). This illustrates Thomas’s strong desire for the success of the band. Despite his hunger, he perseveres for the glory of himself and the other band members. 

Second, because the band pulls through and faces their many obstacles, they are rewarded with recognition. The band members were pressured to cope with each other, and practice thoroughly, in order to achieve their main goal. After many arduous hours of hard work, they are invited to an auspicious music competition. They eventually win a lucrative amount of money and are interviewed by a DJ. The book states, “After thirty acts, the judges chose a winner. And it’s a shocker, folks. The best band tonight happened to be a bunch of Spokane Indians from the Spokane Reservation on the other side of the mountain. (Alexie 156). Because the band becomes more eminent, this shows that their hard work pays off. They are interviewed by the DJ, and they also receive $1000 for winning. 

Lastly, Chess and Checkers both exemplify grit throughout the novel despite them being the only main female characters. Both Chess and Checkers play music with Thomas. They spend a lot of time singing, even though they may not like the circumstances. For example, regarding the character Chess, the novel states, “They were alive; they’d keep living. They sang together with the shadow horses” (Alexie 208). This demonstrates that Chess and Checkers may feel ready to give up, but nonetheless, they keep persevering. They keep singing in order to achieve their goal. 

Perseverance is critical to improving yourself, others, and your community. As seen in the novel, Thomas pushes through the many obstacles that he and the band face. The band eventually achieves some success, after they all kept trying. Chess and Checkers also serve as examples of grit considering how they performed despite harsh conditions. The truth is, although we each define success differently, perseverance is the paramount factor behind being successful.