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| Stephen Graham Jones (4) |
Biography
Stephen Graham Jones is a Blackfeet Native American that commonly writes about horror fiction. He currently works at the University of Colorado Boulder as an English professor. Bertlasky from Los Angeles Times states, "he was raised in Texas as pretty much the only Blackfeet in West Texas- except for his dad and grandma and aunts and uncles and cousins" (1). Although he is very proud of his heritage, Jones often says that he does not want to be seen as just a Native American writer. He wants to branch out and explore topics of his interest, while also being proud of his family's past. Many writers of diversity are viewed only by the color of their skin. However, Jones wants to create a legacy that stretches beyond the color of his skin. A recent novel from him, called My Heart is a Chainsaw, incorporates his Native American heritage, while also being known for its horror side.My Heart is a Chainsaw
This novel depicts the life of a young girl who is half-Indian. She feels like an outcast after her mother left her, and doesn't know where she fits in. To escape from her reality, she indulges herself into horror movies, which ends up taking a bad turn. In her hometown of Proofrock, she makes believe that the masked man from a horror movie is out to seek revenge. However, she starts to notice strange things around her as blood spills into the Indian River. Her imagination becomes reality, but the timid little girl behind it all is still the same. Stephen Graham Jones made a story that incorporates both fiction and the reality of being Native American. The thoughts and feelings of Jade are depicted on accuracy of the struggles and discrimination against Native Americans. |
My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones (3) |
A Bestseller
Due to its unique storyline, My Heart is a Chainsaw became a New York Times bestseller, making many people interested in reading it. Many people love horror stories because it gives them a feeling of thrill and excitement, along with a pump of adrenaline. The main character, Jade, gets a thrill from living the reality of her horror fantasies. According to Bertlasky from the Los Angeles Times, "Jade loves the genre for two opposite reasons: It lets her imagine that violence is a fantasy, and it assures her, despite adult gaslighting, that the violence she experiences is very real" (1). The reviewer explains that Jade's emotions of feeling like an outcast have led her to become passionate in violence. Although Jade has strong feelings of brutality, Jones created a character that is likable to many readers. Morton from The Washington Post explains, "We're so much on her side we find ourselves hoping for the worst" (2). Jade's determination to create a fantasy life for herself is due to the exclusion and discrimination she has faced, which makes many readers sympathetic.Personal Reflection
From learning about Jones, I am very interested that he chose to commonly write about horror novels. I like the fact that he still incorporated the feeling of being an outcast as a Native American, but didn't let it overtake his story. Instead, he turned it into a complex piece relating to the violence caused by feeling like an outcast, which I think can relate to more people than just one ethnicity. The information provided about Jones was very insightful, and I would like to check out more of his books. Being a fan of horror novels, I am going to check out his recent stories.
Works Cited
(1) Berlatsky, Noah. “Review: Justice or Revenge? Why Not Both, in Stephen Graham Jones’ New Meta Slasher Novel.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2021, www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2021-08-30/stephen-graham-jones-meta-slasher-novel-finds-new-psychological-depths.
(2) Morton, Ellen. “Stephen Graham Jones’s ‘My Heart Is a Chainsaw’ Will Delight Horror Movie Fans.” The Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2021, www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/stephen-graham-jones-heart-is-a-chainsaw-review/2021/08/30/54ee2214-09a3-11ec-9781-07796ffb56fe_story.html.
(3) “My Heart Is a Chainsaw.” Book by Stephen Graham Jones | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster, www.simonandschuster.com/books/My-Heart-Is-a-Chainsaw/Stephen-Graham-Jones/The-Indian-Lake-Trilogy/9781982137649. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.
(4) “Stephen Graham Jones.” English, 30 May 2023, www.colorado.edu/english/stephen-graham-jones.
The intro to this blog was great, and I really liked the backstory you gave on Native American influence before mentioning Jones specifically. His stance of not wanting to be seen as "just as a Native American writer" seems to be something that a lot of non-white authors share, and your inclusion of this quote was a very good tidbit. It gave some valuable insight on Jones as a person. I've actually heard of one of his other books, "The Only Good Indians" but I enjoyed hearing about something new with "My Heart is a Chainsaw." As a fan of horror, it definitely sounds like something I'll look into.
ReplyDeleteI really like the overall look of your blog post. I thought that you went into good detail about the idea of a Native American heritage. It seems like your author has a lot of passion for his work and wants to create an even bigger span of information in his work. I think that the way you explained the significance of the young girl in the novel being half Indian and feeling like an outcast represents the common theme with the issue of identity and people struggling to find their purpose/true meaning when they are people of color. The only thing I would suggest is adding some more information on the book and why it stood out to you, or further comments you would like to reflect on.
ReplyDeleteI don't usually read horror novels, but "My Heart is a Chainsaw" sounds really interesting since it seems like more of a psychological horror story. Especially if its in first person point of view, it would be really cool to see the narration because it sounds like Jade would be sort of an unreliable narrator. I love stories where the reader can't quite tell what is and isn't real because the narrator maybe isn't in the best state of mind and therefore can't be fully trusted. It sounds like the threat is real in this and so I think it would be fascinating to see Jade progressively figure out, despite adults telling her otherwise, that there really is danger. This sounds really cool!
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't typically partake in the horror genre, I feel as though the "My Heart is a Chainsaw" sounds like an interesting read. I find it to be an interesting story from what I read here since the main character seems to welcome the violence. Sounds odd, however odd can sometimes mean a good read.
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