What is Alexie saying about race and stereotypes in "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven?"

Alexie also emphasizes that the character of Tonto is itself a tool of racial oppression. The Lone Ranger’s quiet sidekick, Tonto speaks broken English and has a spiritual connection with nature, playing into dated stereotypes about Native Americans. Although the character peaked in popularity in the 1950s, the narrator’s visceral memory of being hurt by the portrayal of Tonto suggests that such depictions can maintain their influence for decades.