The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Essay
This book, "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie, is about a boy called Arnold Spirit aka Junior. He is a Native American that lives in an Indian Reservation. He isn't really satisfied with his life, since he's pretty poor, but he gets along. He doesn't really accept himself, since he has multiple medical problems, and he has been beaten up since he was little. When he starts to gain more friends in this new (American) school, he starts to like and accept himself more than before. In this book, "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian" (by Sherman Alexie), the main theme is about Arnold trying to accept himself.
At first Junior didn't like himself; he was constantly beaten up (but saved by his best friend, Rowdy), he had a lisp and stutters so he had no self-confidence. When he made the decision to go to Reardan, a white school, even Rowdy left him. Rowdy thought Junior was betraying their school by going away and transferring so Rowdy didn't talk to Junior anymore. Without his best friend, Junior completely lost hope. He was scared of the white people and did not expect them to welcome him. He was right. Most of the Americans were cold to him and he did not try to raise his status. Many of the white people made fun of him, and when one guy, Roger, said "Did you know that Indians are living proof that niggers f*** buffalo?" (pg. 64) he felt that he had to stop it. So he punched him. Junior was expecting to get punched back, but he didn't. In the Indian Reservation, he would've been beaten up. So when he didn't get punched back, he was surprised. Junior also did not know how to communicate well. One girl, Penelope, even commented on that, "You talk so funny," (pg. 61). So, not knowing how to communicate or stick up for himself (without punching), he didn't know how to fit in.
After a while though, Junior started making friends. It first started with him finding Penelope in the bathroom barfing her guts out. He realizes
At first Junior didn't like himself; he was constantly beaten up (but saved by his best friend, Rowdy), he had a lisp and stutters so he had no self-confidence. When he made the decision to go to Reardan, a white school, even Rowdy left him. Rowdy thought Junior was betraying their school by going away and transferring so Rowdy didn't talk to Junior anymore. Without his best friend, Junior completely lost hope. He was scared of the white people and did not expect them to welcome him. He was right. Most of the Americans were cold to him and he did not try to raise his status. Many of the white people made fun of him, and when one guy, Roger, said "Did you know that Indians are living proof that niggers f*** buffalo?" (pg. 64) he felt that he had to stop it. So he punched him. Junior was expecting to get punched back, but he didn't. In the Indian Reservation, he would've been beaten up. So when he didn't get punched back, he was surprised. Junior also did not know how to communicate well. One girl, Penelope, even commented on that, "You talk so funny," (pg. 61). So, not knowing how to communicate or stick up for himself (without punching), he didn't know how to fit in.
After a while though, Junior started making friends. It first started with him finding Penelope in the bathroom barfing her guts out. He realizes