The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie explores the concealed world of the Indians. Sherman Alexie exhibits humor, sadness, and reality through his main character, Junior, to make the reader understand what the Native Americans are enduring. Indian reservations have had a history of being prison-like homes to some of the most culturally rich and spiritual people in the world. In modern society, hopeless Indians that inhabit these reservations suffer through desperate poverty that continues to dominate. This dark world filled with poverty and much abuse has made the narrator of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Junior, realize what life he would have to live if he did not flee from his own Spokane “rez”. Effects of poverty and the help of role models has helped form Junior into a courageous and intelligent individual who has taken the chance to live life by moving to a new school in the white community, Rearden.
The effect of poverty within the Indian reservation continues to dictate. The Spokane reservation is described as being a prison, and “… Indians were supposed to move onto the reservations and die. [Indians] were supposed to disappear… Reservations were meant to be death camps.” (217, Alexie) Towards the beginning of the story, Junior sets the stage for the reader, and allows there to be an understanding of what the Indians feel like everyday by stating, “It sucks to be poor, and it sucks to feel that you somehow deserve to be poor… And because you’re Indian you start believing you’re destined to be poor. It’s an ugly circle and there’s nothing you can do about it.” (13, Alexie) Sherman Alexie enables the reader to go into the dark and villainous world of the reservation, and opens the locked door for many to see how Indians go through each day without food, clean water, healthy facilities, and quality education. All those living in the Spokane reservation know there is nothing they can do to save themselves. While Junior still attended Willpinit, the school within the reservation, one of his teachers, Mr. P starts to get mad at the growing poverty in the reservation, and becomes furious towards the Indians for giving up. “Every white person on this rez should get smashed in the face… All Indians should get smashed in the face, too. The only thing you [Indian] kids are being taught is how to give up… [All members of the rez] are defeated… But not you. You won’t give up.” (42-43, Alexie) At that moment, the reader is lead into Junior’s crazy yet memorable dream of escaping the indigent reservation and moving to the white world.
Throughout Junior’s transition from the reservation to the white society, he associates with many unforgettable people. However, out of all of his family, friends, and enemies, there are only two main role models that have affected Junior’s life forever. The first role model for Junior is Mr. P, who was Junior’s teacher back when he attended the reservation’s school, Wellpinit. Mr. P is the character that opens Junior’s eyes up to the extreme poverty that is in the reservation, and encourages Junior to grow the courage to leave the “rez”, and to move on to the actual world. After Junior’s suspension from Wellpinit, and after hitting Mr. P with a book, Mr. P visits Junior. Mr. P explains to Junior what would happen if he was to stay on the reservation, and tells Junior to attend a different school, far away from Wellpinit. Junior starts to question Mr. P’s judgment on the matter, and asks, “Where is hope? Who has hope?” Mr. P calmly replies to Junior and says, “Son, you’re going to find more and more hope the farther and farther you walk away from this sad, sad, sad reservation.” (43, Alexie) If Junior did not have Mr. P as a teacher and a friend, he would not have left Wellpinit, and would have been left “dying” in the reservation. The second role model for the narrator, Junior, is his very own grandmother. In The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Sherman Alexie establishes that grandmother’s character is being a kind, strong, intelligent, and well-known individual. She teaches her friends and family the importance of tolerance, friendship, and life. Junior describes his grandmother as having a special gift. “ [Junior’s] grandmother’s greatest gift was tolerance… [She] has no use for all the gay bashing and homophobia in the world… [Junior’s] grandmother would start talking to the invisible people, too.” (155, Alexie) Grandmother’s character teaches the reader and other characters of the book to learn the importance of acceptance, and also the importance of courage. Without grandmother’s tough and helpful personality, Junior would not have successfully made it through his first year at the white school, Rearden.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian puts a vivid spotlight on the bleakness of poverty, and the importance of the positive effects of good role models. Sherman Alexie gives a reminder that everyone should show tolerance and kindness to all, including the invisible ones. After learning what many impoverished people are enduring, will you be like grandmother and Mr. P and show them the true meaning of hope and acceptance?
The effect of poverty within the Indian reservation continues to dictate. The Spokane reservation is described as being a prison, and “… Indians were supposed to move onto the reservations and die. [Indians] were supposed to disappear… Reservations were meant to be death camps.” (217, Alexie) Towards the beginning of the story, Junior sets the stage for the reader, and allows there to be an understanding of what the Indians feel like everyday by stating, “It sucks to be poor, and it sucks to feel that you somehow deserve to be poor… And because you’re Indian you start believing you’re destined to be poor. It’s an ugly circle and there’s nothing you can do about it.” (13, Alexie) Sherman Alexie enables the reader to go into the dark and villainous world of the reservation, and opens the locked door for many to see how Indians go through each day without food, clean water, healthy facilities, and quality education. All those living in the Spokane reservation know there is nothing they can do to save themselves. While Junior still attended Willpinit, the school within the reservation, one of his teachers, Mr. P starts to get mad at the growing poverty in the reservation, and becomes furious towards the Indians for giving up. “Every white person on this rez should get smashed in the face… All Indians should get smashed in the face, too. The only thing you [Indian] kids are being taught is how to give up… [All members of the rez] are defeated… But not you. You won’t give up.” (42-43, Alexie) At that moment, the reader is lead into Junior’s crazy yet memorable dream of escaping the indigent reservation and moving to the white world.
Throughout Junior’s transition from the reservation to the white society, he associates with many unforgettable people. However, out of all of his family, friends, and enemies, there are only two main role models that have affected Junior’s life forever. The first role model for Junior is Mr. P, who was Junior’s teacher back when he attended the reservation’s school, Wellpinit. Mr. P is the character that opens Junior’s eyes up to the extreme poverty that is in the reservation, and encourages Junior to grow the courage to leave the “rez”, and to move on to the actual world. After Junior’s suspension from Wellpinit, and after hitting Mr. P with a book, Mr. P visits Junior. Mr. P explains to Junior what would happen if he was to stay on the reservation, and tells Junior to attend a different school, far away from Wellpinit. Junior starts to question Mr. P’s judgment on the matter, and asks, “Where is hope? Who has hope?” Mr. P calmly replies to Junior and says, “Son, you’re going to find more and more hope the farther and farther you walk away from this sad, sad, sad reservation.” (43, Alexie) If Junior did not have Mr. P as a teacher and a friend, he would not have left Wellpinit, and would have been left “dying” in the reservation. The second role model for the narrator, Junior, is his very own grandmother. In The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Sherman Alexie establishes that grandmother’s character is being a kind, strong, intelligent, and well-known individual. She teaches her friends and family the importance of tolerance, friendship, and life. Junior describes his grandmother as having a special gift. “ [Junior’s] grandmother’s greatest gift was tolerance… [She] has no use for all the gay bashing and homophobia in the world… [Junior’s] grandmother would start talking to the invisible people, too.” (155, Alexie) Grandmother’s character teaches the reader and other characters of the book to learn the importance of acceptance, and also the importance of courage. Without grandmother’s tough and helpful personality, Junior would not have successfully made it through his first year at the white school, Rearden.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian puts a vivid spotlight on the bleakness of poverty, and the importance of the positive effects of good role models. Sherman Alexie gives a reminder that everyone should show tolerance and kindness to all, including the invisible ones. After learning what many impoverished people are enduring, will you be like grandmother and Mr. P and show them the true meaning of hope and acceptance?