What It Means To Say Phoenix, Arizona : Setting

The setting of the airplane adds meaning and understanding to the story. During the flight, we get to see the first person-to-person interaction Thomas Builds-the-Fire has with someone other than Victor. This interaction seals the lid on any conjectures we had about Thomas's social skills, maturity level and understanding of his Indian ancestry.
Thomas's social skills and maturity are shown greatly when he begins to talk to the beautiful gymnast. Thomas presents himself in a confident manner and isn't shy or afraid. He even starts to throw in a few jokes into the conversation, which ma…