The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part-Time Indian By Sherman Alexie

In 10 Little Indians, the poet turned extreme introvert is standoffish and rude, a product of his loneliness. A Spokane Indian who was adopted to a white family as a child, became a poet and used the name “Harlan Atwater” to sound more like a Spokane, as his white parents gave him a white name when they adopted him. His journey from childhood as an adopted son to a hermit is muddled in the book, as his story is more of a reflection of himself by himself than a profile such as the ones of Joshua Febres and Patrick Harris. Harlan Atwater was a poet and a sad man, and his journey was not a journey to be out on the water, or a journey to get away from a rough and tumble lifestyle. Atwater’s journey was simply one trying to find themselves in the midst of a life that really was not his.

Mr. p was one of the biggest inspirations to juniors actions. If it weren't for him Junior would be stuck at the rez forever and most likely become like all the other adults, drunk and angry. When junior began his journey to achieve his goals at Reardan it was very difficult. He was the only “different” kid there. Different meaning he was the only Indian in a school of white kids.

“He did this because Roger insulted the reservation and Junior’s family. This made Junior upset because he is proud of his

The diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie is a novel about a disabled Indian boy's life on a reservation in Spokane, Washington. Alexie describes the complications and struggles that Junior endures throughout the process of changing schools. Arnold Spirit Jr is fourteen years old and is forced to act like an adult for him to be able to choose the life he desires. Throughout the book we see Junior change the way he sees himself and how he sees himself through the eyes of others. He begins to find his own value that had been hidden behind a curtain of self doubt.

(Alexie 80), and “Do you know what happens to retards on the rez? We get beat up. At least once a month.” (Alexie 4). These quotes shows how and why Junior has a tough time achieving his goals not only because of the problems in Rearden but also because of his hometown.

Junior loses a lot of friends and family at the young age of fourteen. He gets bullied because he was born with too much cerebral spinal fluid inside his skull, but he has his best friend Rowdy there to help him. Junior realizes that he needs to leave the reservation to get a better life for himself. He goes to a new school off the

It was like being Indian was my job, but it was only a part-time job. And it didn't pay well at all.” This shows how lost he feels between his new school and his family and friends.

In Sherman Alexie’s, “The Absolutely Diary of a Part-Time Indian”, Alexie shares the story of a teenage Native American boy named Junior who lives on the rez and desires to have a better education. But for this, he must attend a white school 22 miles from the rez. Despite having various forms of oppression both living on the rez and going to Reardan High School, Alexie shows Junior’s budding future through the use of literary devices and Junior’s

P's suggestion, but as he thinks about it more, he realizes that attending a school in Reardan could offer him better opportunities to escape the cycle of poverty and alcoholism that has plagued his community. However, Junior's decision to leave the reservation school is not without consequences, and he must carefully weigh the pros and cons of his decision. When Junior shares Mr. P's proposal with his parents later in the evening, his father initially reacts with anger, accusing Junior of being a traitor to his tribe. However, after some thought, Junior's parents ultimately support his decision, recognizing the importance of education in his future. Although his parents are concerned about the challenges he will face being the only Native American student at a primarily white school, they ultimately put their trust in Junior to make the right decision.

These are some things Junior had to deal with and do to find hope for himself in a world where he was expected to fail. The book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie is a story about Junior who is an American Indian living on the reservation but is trying to find a better life for himself. After his high school teacher confessed that the reservation was made to “kill the Indian and save the man”, Junior decides to go to Rearden high school which is out of the reservation and is an “all-white

And their grandparents gave up and their grandparents before them. And me and every other teacher here. We're all defeated,’”(Alexie 42). At that moment, Junior realized that the “unavoidable” chain of failure in his reservation needed to be broken for the first time in all generations for him to achieve success in his life. Leaving his reservation and moving to Reardan where he’ll have the opportunity to strive for success was the first step in achieving the milestone of success he desperately wants to obtain.

In his book the Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Sherman Alexie portrays a teenage boy, Arnold Spirit (junior) living in white man’s world, and he must struggle to overcome racism and stereotypes if he must achieve his dreams. In the book, Junior faces a myriad of misfortunes at his former school in ‘the rez’ (reservation), which occurs as he struggles to escape from racial and stereotypical expectations about Indians. For Junior he must weigh between accepting what is expected of him as an Indian or fight against those forces and proof his peers and teachers wrong. Therefore, from the time Junior is in school at reservation up to the time he decides to attend a neighboring school in Rearden, we see a teenager who is facing tough consequences for attempting to go against the racial stereotypes.

In his double life in Reardan and on the reservation, he feels “like a magician slicing himself in half, with Junior living on the north side of the river and Arnold living on the south,” (p. 60-61) “I was half Indian in one place and half white in the other. It was like being Indian was my job, but it was only part-time.” (p.118) Just as his absolutely true identity includes both Junior and Arnold, the divided extremes he describes often turn out to be hazy. Roger, the Reardan student who greets Junior in the schoolyard with a cruel racist joke, becomes a sympathetic friend and role model; Rowdy is both Junior’s greatest friend and his worst enemy, and hates him because he loves him so abundantly. Things like the basketball game Reardan wins against Wellpinit becomes both a glorious victory and a shameful moral loss for Junior.

Facing struggles of life defines one’s character in life. The ability to confront one’s problems speaks volumes about their strength in character, hopefulness, and flexibility as a person. Through struggles, sacrifice, and tragedy, Junior in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie, Junior adapts to survive difficult situations and faces his problems head-on. As he makes radical changes to his life, adapts to unfamiliar culture, and finds himself amongst misery and heartbreak, Junior demonstrates this ability to overcome wicked adversity and struggles.

They all felt the sadness of Curt Lemon, Kiowa, and the others they lost. Death changes people, it puts a hardness in their heart when they don't want to deal with the pain. Although death is a part of life it's not easy and never gets easier. In death and loss a bond is formed and it is a stronger bond than any other. Comparable to a mother daughter bond, brotherhood never goes away no matter how much time passes.