“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 a part-time job. And it didn't pay well” (118). This quote comes from the book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. The character from this novel, Junior, is who was previously quoted. He betrays his tribe by leaving the reservation to get a better education in nearby small white town. Junior faces great hardships and tragedies as he struggles to both achieve his dreams, and discover where he fits into society. Junior shows strong character traits throughout the book, including his determination, aspiration, and wise perception of the world.
One of Junior's striking traits is his determination. Junior faces many challenges living the life of a poor ‘part-time Indian,’ however he does not let this bring him down. His determination is portrayed when refusing to give up during the basketball tryouts, even though it may seem impossible. During tryouts his thoughts are shown through this quote, “Ninety percent of me wanted to take the break. But I knew if I took that break I would never make the team. ‘I'll take him on again’ ”(140). Despite his fear and acknowledgment of the odds, Junior does not give up. Junior’s determination also shows when he refuses to quit at his first basketball game, against his former team from the reservation. Junior is cut by a flying …show more content…
Junior refuses to give up even when it may seem impossible. And even though Junior isn't supposed to go far, he still hopes to accomplish his big dreams. Junior also shows wise perceptions of the socioeconomic realities of the world. Junior, A boy divided between his home and his dreams, shows traits that should be applied to real