The central question of Sherman Alexie's "Superman and Me" is "what impact did the gift of literacy have on Sherman Alexie's life?" Alexie expected more of himself than his culture expected. Literacy gave him a sense of individuality separating him from the stereotypes of Indians and through it he was able to "save his life". Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Literacy created a divide between him and his peers. Because of his skills, he was able to avoid being pigeonholed by traditional Indian stereotypes imposed on him by outside cultures as well as his own culture. He wanted to be the exception. Indian children were not expected to read and write, let alone encouraged. Indians were only accepted if they conformed to the social norm of lack of intelligence. He stood out from the crowd with his drive for change and unwillingness to conform to society's expectations of what he could accomplish. Sherman Alexie was able to “save his life” through the power of reading and writing. From the moment Alexie was born, he was expected to fail due to the circumstances he was born into: Indian, lower class, and life on a reservation. He knew that reading was the key to overcoming his adversaries and making a difference, not only in his life but in the lives of other Indian children. Although Alexie enjoyed reading, he also read out of a desperate desire to achieve something. Through Sherman Alexie's consistent reading, he was able to save his life. He never succumbed to the stereotypes that his community imposed on him. He managed to become a writer, a career not usually pursued by Indians. Through all his hard work, he was able to not only save his own life from becoming insignificant, but also work to save the lives of other young Indians through the gift of literacy during his visits to Indian schools. Please note: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Throughout the story, “Me and Superman,” the central question is fully answered. The author treats the central question with pride. He was proud of what he was able to accomplish through his drive at such a young age and knows he was lucky to be born into a home where reading was normalized rather than looked down upon. He recognizes that he is lucky for this. This gave him the willpower to carry on even when everyone, both from his culture and from other cultures, told him to stick to the status quo..