Part-Time Indian Themes
Though there are many lessons and themes within The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, the most significant is Junior’s refusal to abide by society’s standards and live within the narrow passage society provided him with. He was born into poverty. Not only that, but he was Indian. These two aspects handed to him at birth set him up to poor, drunk, and unsuccessful. By the time he was a teenager, Junior was aware of these boundaries in which everyone else on his reservation seemed to live inside of, and he fought them. He was not going to let poverty determine his future and his success. Poverty would not trample his dreams and extinguish his hopes. That is something the others on the rez could not seem to do. “I
…show more content…
Despite these flaws, he still fought to become more than anyone expected him. He went to a white school because he saw the opportunity that laid there. He needed to be surrounded by people who had hope, who would allow him to reach his potential and present him with opportunity. As Mr. P told Junior, “You have been fighting since the day you were born...You fought off those seizures. You fought off all the drunks and addicts.You kept your hope. And now, you have to take your hope and go somewhere where other people have hope.” (pg 43) If Junior were to stay on the rez for the rest of his life, his hope, the foundation of his actions, would eventually die, just like everyone else’s on the rez. “‘All these kids have given up,’ he said. ‘All your friends. All the bullies. All their mothers and fathers have given up, too. And their grandparents gave up and their grandparents before them.” (pg 42) That is why it was so imperative that Junior left the reservation’s school system when he did. Furthermore, Junior not only sought an improved educational system, but he went against all odds to become a key basketball player at his
Despite these flaws, he still fought to become more than anyone expected him. He went to a white school because he saw the opportunity that laid there. He needed to be surrounded by people who had hope, who would allow him to reach his potential and present him with opportunity. As Mr. P told Junior, “You have been fighting since the day you were born...You fought off those seizures. You fought off all the drunks and addicts.You kept your hope. And now, you have to take your hope and go somewhere where other people have hope.” (pg 43) If Junior were to stay on the rez for the rest of his life, his hope, the foundation of his actions, would eventually die, just like everyone else’s on the rez. “‘All these kids have given up,’ he said. ‘All your friends. All the bullies. All their mothers and fathers have given up, too. And their grandparents gave up and their grandparents before them.” (pg 42) That is why it was so imperative that Junior left the reservation’s school system when he did. Furthermore, Junior not only sought an improved educational system, but he went against all odds to become a key basketball player at his