What are the motifs in Ten Little Indians by Sherman Alexie?

Tribal Custom versus modern life is a recurring idea in the story. The Native Americans in this collection of stories are largely ambivalent about tribal customs and rituals. They find some strength and nurturing in those customs, but they also try to adapt to the mainstream white culture. In "The Search Engine," young poet Corliss Joseph can't find anyone in her family who's heard of Harlan Atwater, an alleged Spokane Indian who wrote a book of poetry decades earlier.