Part Time Indian Research Paper

Sherman Alexie’s novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a very controversial book as it touches on many sensitive topics, but it still should be taught in schools. In the novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, it discusses many different topics such as poverty, racism/discrimination, and struggles other people might have. The importance of teaching these topics in schools is to create awareness and wellness for students. This is to help indicate an awareness for both students and teachers, to help them and to help them recognize if they are struggling with any of these issues. It is also setting forth that it can be a great deal for students to be taught about this topic just like the book demonstrates. The

Throughout the novel, Arnold had gone to an all-white school. The students would often pretend that he was not there, but when he was, they would hound him. When he first transferred to the new school, all the students would pester him and say things that would offend him because he was Indian. One person who would pick on him more than others is Roger. He would give Arnold a very rough time in the hallways, until one day when Arnold fought back in the only way he knew, violence. Sherman Alexie wrote how, “Roger and his friends were laughing like crazy. I hated them. And I knew I had to do something big. I couldn’t let them get away with that. I wasn’t just defending myself. I was defending Indians, black people, and buffalo. So I punched Roger in the face. He wasn’t laughing when he landed on his ass. And he wasn’t laughing when his nose bled like red fireworks”(Alexie 65). Arnold had just punched Roger straight in the face. It showed the other kids how his life was. They called him crazy and that he was an animal after he did that. At the reservation it would be normal to punch someone in the face, but at Rearden it was not. Everyone was now scared of him and would often treat him like an alien. Some can rebut and say that Arnold did not experience racism in the novel and that he made it through. “So mostly they called me names. Lots of names to choose from. And yeah, those were bad enough names. But I could handle them, especially when some huge monster boy was insulting me. But I knew I’d have to put a stop to it eventually or I’d always be known as “Chief” or “Tonto” or “Squaw boy.” But I was scared” (Alexie 63). Arnold had a rough time when he first went to Rearden and often other kids would call him names like Chief, Tonto, Redskin, and Squaw Boy. This made him feel scared, weak, and poor. He let them walk all over him and made him feel