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

709 Words3 Pages
In the novel ‘The Absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian’ the author Sherman Alexie addresses the main ideas of friendship, loss, family, poverty and racism. Junior lives on a Spokane reservation and attends a public school but after moving to redarns many things start to change. Alexie addresses one of the main ideas through racism. Junior receives racial discrimination from multiple characters throughout the text. The particular quote “if you make some charcoal baby”[pg109] from Penelope’s father is insulting towards Junior’s race. After moving Reardan Junior experienced more racial issues getting called ‘’white boy’’ [pg57]. Although student continuously makes racial comments, Junior is determined to not be a drunk like his Father.…show more content…
This is evident when Junior moves to Reardan as 'white kids' wear; "the latest air Jordan's" and "Timex wristwatches" [pg. 57] and he wears; "k-mart shirts" and "Sears blue jeans" [pg. 57]. Junior faces death of his dog earlier in the novel because his family cannot afford to take them to the vet. We see the effect of poverty on Junior, when he loses ‘’the only living thing that I could depend on’’.[pg9]. The reader is quick to see juniors ‘’poor ass kid’’ [pg7]attitude. Poverty effected Junior but also the entire community. Always being poor Junior knew that ‘’Poverty doesn't give you strength or teach you lessons about perseverance. No, poverty only teaches you how to be poor’’ [pg3]. Although he has grown up with a background of poverty, Junior fights to break the cycle and to have a better future. The message of poverty is linked to Junior as he inspires us to be…show more content…
He considers Rowdy to be ‘’the most important person in my life’’ [pg123]. Rowdy ‘’was the only person who listened to me’’ [pg20]. Despite Rowdy’s anger and aggression Junior still misses him, and still values their friendship. The importance of their friendship is established early on in the text. Although Junior describes his parents as ‘’drunks’’ he is respectful of his parents. Junior always gave credit to his parents, as he believed they did the best they knew how to do. He never blamed his parents for poverty ‘’and its not like my mother and father were born into wealth [pg11] Junior was grateful as he valued that his parents were supportive and did not ignore the. He appreciated his parents and knew rowdy was worse off. Later in the novel we discover the importance of juniors ‘Grandmother. He described her ‘’greatest gift was tolerance’’ [pg155]. Grandmother had a wise an influtial impact on juniors life. After getting into an accident grandmother last words in the hospital are “Forgive him.” Junior knew her ‘’last act on earth was a call for forgiveness, love and tolerance
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