A Review Of Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part-Time Indian
Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian has been banned or considered for banning in various school districts around the country. I disagree with most of the parents that have concluded that this book detrimental to their children’s brain. Parents are just seeking out the inappropriate things in the book and overlooking the messages in it. For example, some parents are just looking at the racist language in the book, but they are totally missing why it’s there. The author is using it to show the reality of the situation. She’s showing people that in some areas of the world people actually live in a racist environment, and that not everythings happy-go-lucky. Whitehurst said, “ While there is graphic language, keep
in mind that Arnold uses this language to express his own feeling to himself or to exchange taunts with his best friend. He never uses this language in front of girls, to his family or to other adults, and he doesn't act on his thoughts...” This point that Whitehurst puts across is completely valid and supports the argument that the novel you are reading is a journey throughout this young boy’s thoughts. Additionally, the children of the school that is forbidding the novel AREN’T children, they are high school students. I truly feel that most of them know about racism, bullying, and so on. They will be better educated on how it feels to be on the side of the victim’s point-of-view and it grants you a perspective on the time period the book was written. In conclusion, the parents of the students are indeed overlooking the certain aspects of the novel which includes the theme.
in mind that Arnold uses this language to express his own feeling to himself or to exchange taunts with his best friend. He never uses this language in front of girls, to his family or to other adults, and he doesn't act on his thoughts...” This point that Whitehurst puts across is completely valid and supports the argument that the novel you are reading is a journey throughout this young boy’s thoughts. Additionally, the children of the school that is forbidding the novel AREN’T children, they are high school students. I truly feel that most of them know about racism, bullying, and so on. They will be better educated on how it feels to be on the side of the victim’s point-of-view and it grants you a perspective on the time period the book was written. In conclusion, the parents of the students are indeed overlooking the certain aspects of the novel which includes the theme.