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

"Double-consciousness this sense of always looking at one 's self through the eyes of others, of measuring one 's soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity" (Dubois, 8). W.E.B. Du Bois had a perfect definition of double-consciousness. The action of viewing one 's self through the eyes of others and measuring one 's soul. Looking at all of the thoughts good or bad coming from others. This is present in the main character of the book The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie. The Absolutely True Diary is about a boy named Junior that is fourteen years old and living on the Spokane Reservation. Junior was born with too

Poverty hits children hardest in the world. When I was younger, the Armenians had faced the hard facts of poverty after they break up with the Soviet Union, war with Azerbaijan, and a devastating earthquake. My family moved into our motherland Armenia while our nation was going through these huge dramatic changes. Furthermore the poor economy and inflation destroyed numerous hopes and futures. In the novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie, Arnold Spirit, describes his hardships involving poverty living on Spokane reservation. The people on the reservation are stuck in a prison of poverty. They are imprisoned there due to lack of resources and general contempt from the outside world, so they are left with little chance for success. Like Arnold, I also went through hardships regarding poverty and education.

Institutional structures have the power to configure adolescent growth through repression and liberation. The capability that adolescents have to create their own destiny and choose their own social institution can be limited, but not impossible. In Trites article, “Do I dare disturb the universe?” the author argues that kids have personal power, whether they acknowledge it and use it to their own advantage or not. Michel Foucault declares that “Power is everywhere; not because it embraces everything, but because it comes from everywhere” (Trites). Power is inevitable, there will never be no such thing as power in this world; it will never diminish or fade. Trites also conveyed that, “power not only acts on a subject but, in a transitive

Many of us think that racism is a problem from the past, a problem during the era of Abraham Lincoln. Well if you think that, you are wrong because racism is still a big problem today and it still affects many people. Racism is something that has been disputed since the Civil war, and even many years later into the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther king did so much trying to change this ideation of the United States, but we can see that this problem still exists. In the book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Arnold Spirit has been a victim of racism in his school. Arnold wants to get a better education and in order to do that, he would have to go to a white school where he would face discrimination.

“Jeez, I felt like one of those Indian scouts who led the U.S. Cavalry against other Indians” (182), Arnold says when he is playing basketball against his old Indian school with his new all white school. This is in the book The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. This quotation in the book is important because it talks about Arnold’s struggle to feel like he fits in as white or Indian.

There are several people in the world who live in poverty. Poverty hits children the hardest. Little more than a decade ago, the Armenians had faced the hard facts of poverty after break up with Former Soviet Union. My family moved into our motherland Armenia, meanwhile our nation was going through huge dramatic changes after the great earthquake and war with Azerbaijan. Furthermore the poor economy and inflation destroyed numerous people hopes and future. In the novel, “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian”, by Sherman Alexie, Arnold Spirit is also known as Junior describes his life challenges of poverty living on Spokane reservation. Like Arnold, as I begin to compare him going through hardship and finding out true place in the world, I often find similarities in living in poverty with large effect of hunger and education.

In Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, perspective is the driving factor for all of it’s characters, influencing their belief in themselves and their freedom to either achieve their dreams or be trapped by their reality.

In my view, intolerance is the unfair act of being treated unjustly by others. This closed-minded action is one that is unfortunately an increasing problem in today’s society for many different reasons. Intolerance is the greatest issue we face regarding discrimination and racism among others, increasing the tension and conflict between people. One example of Junior, also known as Arnold, experiencing intolerance is when he is made fun of by his peers on his reservation in Wellpinit for having a lisp and eye abnormalities. Junior cannot help that he was born with these physical defects and has no control over the fact that he has to live with them. In Reardan, Junior is picked on the antagonist, Roger that creates even more of a struggle

In 2007, the award-winning novel, “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian”, was written and published by successful screenwriter, film producer, and author, Sherman Alexie; the novel follows the journey of hydrocephalic Native American teenager Arnold Spirit Jr, as he attends an all-white off-reservation public high school in the town of Reardan, Washington. The story’s exploration of controversial issues such as alcoholism, poverty, bullying, violence, as well as the use of profanity and slurs compels its audience to consider the horrifying reality of the native American experience in contemporary society and authentically examines Arnold’s personal struggle to discover his identity. The novel expertly explores important overarching themes such as poverty, racism, and hope through the use of imagery, symbolism, and setting.

In the novel, Junior says “I am fourteen years old and I’ve been to forty-two funerals,” (Alexie 199). Mary, Junior’s sister, dies in the novel after marrying and moving to a different state. Junior’s sister follows her dreams, and when reflecting on her life, Junior realizes some of his. Loss is constant on the reservation, so Junior loses another very important person in his life, his grandmother, to a drunk driver. While reflecting on her life, he realizes all of the magnificent tips and advice his grandmother gave, and it helps him better himself and further become who he truly is. Junior loses his best friend, Rowdy, for almost a year. Losing Rowdy makes him realize who he is by himself, rather than who he is compared to Rowdy. From enduring the losses of multiple people, Junior has to learn to live without them. He realizes things about himself when he reminisces them and when he is forced to go through obstacles

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a young adult fiction novel by Sherman Alexie. This story takes place on the Spokane Indian Reservation also known as the Rez. Junior the protagonist is a skinny Native American boy who has problems with his brain. Living on the Rez, he is made fun of because of his huge feet and hands but he is especially made fun of because of his huge head. Junior struggles with poverty but does not let that get into his thoughts. Junior wanting to change that, comes up with an idea that would not only be a great betrayal to his Indian nation but would change him entirely as a person. On the approach of completing his decision he faces many obstacles that catch him in his thoughts again.

“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” written by Sherman Alexie, which is based on his life. The book follows the life of a fourteen-year old boy named Junior. Junior living on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington. He was born with hydrocephalus, which causes water to be on your brain. Also, Junior has many health problems related to hydrocephalus, which alter his appearances. Junior comes from a close-knit supports family that is extremely poor. Junior has a close attachment to his pet dog Oscar and his long time best friend Rowdy. On the reservation, Junior felted hopeless and if he stays there he will never reach his full potential. So, he decides to transfer into a wealthier predominately white school off his reservation

Sherman Alexie is a Native American author who wrote The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.... This story depicts a young Native American boy named Arnold spirit who grows up on the Spokane Indian Reservation face with poverty and alcoholism. After living on the reservation for 14 years, Arnold decides to leave the reservation in attending an all white school off the reservation named Reardan. Well at Reardan what makes a few friends named Gordy and Penelope who have made a good impact on his life. Later on in the school year Arnold makes varsity basketball team but loses to the opposing team after that a series of unfortunate events including the death of his grandmother the death of his dad’s best friend and his sister dying in a house fire have all left him in a deep depressed state. After these traumatic events Arnold begins to look at himself in a new way and sees where he fits in in life. This novel has many thematic and symbolic objects each contributing to Sherman Alexie 's life on the reservation.

Imagine being in quicksand, unable to get yourself out. Scared to death of suffocation. That is how poverty can impact people. It can last much longer than ten minutes, but a lifetime. The cycle does not just stop there, it is common for it to be generational. Does poverty have the ability to define a person? Poverty and personal identity can go hand in hand. In The Absolutely True Story of a Part-time Indian, Sherman Alexie describes the devastating effects poverty has on an individual’s identity. Poverty has lasted in Arnold’s family for generations, it has proven to create many obstacles time and time again for him. Being poor drastically affects Arnold’s basic needs of survival, it infringes the joy he has in his life, and constantly reminds him what it is like to be a Native American on the Spokane Indian Reservation. This all, in return, impacts Arnold’s sense of self.

There are several people in the world who live in poverty. Poverty hits children the hardest. Little more than a decade ago, the Armenians had faced the hard facts of poverty after break up with Former Soviet Union. My family moved into our motherland Armenia, meanwhile our nation was going through huge dramatic changes after the great earthquake and war with Azerbaijan. Furthermore the poor economy and inflation destroyed numerous people hopes and future. In the novel, “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian”, by Sherman Alexie, Arnold Spirit is also known as Junior describes his life challenges of poverty living on Spokane reservation. The people on the reservation are trapped in a prison of poverty. They are imprisoned there due to lack of resources and general contempt from the outside world, so they are left with little chance for success. Like Arnold, as I begin to compare him going through hardship and finding out true place in the world, I often find similarities in living in poverty with large effect of hunger and education.