Arnold Spirit Character Analysis

Have you ever felt as if someone was treating you differently than others just because of the way you look? Arnold Spirit is the main character also known as Junior in the book, by “ Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. He narrates his own life as a Native American and the ones around him that were not Native Americans. In the story, there are a lot of stereotypes that revolve around Junior being a Native American. Sherman Alexie compares and contrasts the societal Native American expectations centered around their stereotypes, which helps Arnold uses this as a drive to ignore them and become more aware of his true self. Native American’s expectations are centered around stereotypes by people treating them as if they are not capable of succeeding in any way. When someone is constantly telling you something about you, eventually you begin to believe in it and make it true. That means that if someone is constantly telling you that there is something

I do this when I am mad I put distance on everyone and everything. “ Yep, I belong two black I month club sure I want to go outside every kid wants to go outside.” “But it's safer at home”. “ So mostly I hang out alone in the bedroom read books and draw cartoons .”( Spirit, 5) Arnold is ignoring people on the Rez and all the negativity so that he can find his true self. Native Americans are constantly being centered by stereotypes on a day to day bases. Arnold has to face these stereotypes , but they don’t phase him as much as others because of his mindset. By listening to his mind rather than what others say about him he begins to find the real him. So that being said the Native Americans negative stereotypes are actually a positive for Arnold to find who he actually is rather than who people portray him to