A Part-Time Indian

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is an incredible novel about hope and joy -- about who has it and who doesn't, how hard life can be when hope and joy leaves. And how life can change when hope and joy reappears.. This book is an autobiographical depiction of what life on a reservation is like. It is both bleak and hopeful, while also being heartrending and uplifting. The narrator of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is hilarious! He has such a great sense of humor that made the book even more enjoyable. He is a fourteen-year-old Native kid named Arnold Spirit, Jr., a character based in part of Sherman Alexie, the author’s, experiences growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Wellpinit, Washington. Arnold

He wears chunky, lopsided glasses. His head and body look like Sputnik on a toothpick. When he doesn’t stutter, he lisps because of his 10 extra teeth. Aside from his physical appearance, he is funny, sensitive and a budding cartoon artist. He spends a lot of time in his room drawing cartoons because of how badly he gets teased and beaten. He says, “I think the world is a series of broken dams and floods, and my cartoons are tiny little lifeboats” on page 6. He uses drawing cartoons as an escape from his painful reality. He also uses it to understand life situations better and as a comical outlet to either make jokes about himself or others, the way that he visualizes it. He also says, “I take them seriously. I use them to understand the world. I use them to make fun of the world. To make fun of people. And sometimes I draw people because they’re my friends and family. And I want to honor them” on page 95. Arnold is not only a teenage Indian going through all of the usual coming of age stuff, he is also a hydrocephalic; ‘a condition in which there is an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within the brain. This typically causes increased pressure inside the

In my opinion, most of these reasons are complete bullshit and I could rant about this all day long (I know Mrs. Rubin is already tired of hearing me rant about controversial topics so I’ll make it quick for you guys) but I would think that parents would want their children to be educated about topics like this because they are real world things that happen on a daily basis! I know I’m not closing my kids off to stuff like this when I’m a parent. I want my kids to know how serious drugs and alcohol are so they take it seriously. I want them to know that some words are offensive to people and their culture. I want my kids to be sexually educated! I understand that I am not a parent yet but I would think that parents would want the best for their kids and them being educated on things like this is a huge part of it. And I feel that 9th grade is the perfect time to start talking about it. You do not have to agree with me or even take my advice but let me tell you something; I am 18 years old and I wish I read this book in school when I was a freshman. It really does educate you and make you become more aware of the other parts of