The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Reader Response Paper Sherman Alexie’s semiautobiographical novel “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian” contains many subtle messages that are mentioned casually, as the spawn of Arnold “Junior’s” sporadic train of thought, throughout the work. I found the most intriguing of which to be Alexie’s implication of the universality of pain, as it applies to a broad range of people on and off the reservation. Pain is perhaps among the most universal emotions. However, it is particularly clear from the beginning of the novel that pain runs rampant on the “rez”. This pain is seen on many different occasions, such as when Junior loses his beloved dog Oscar. When Junior’s family can’t afford to pay for their …show more content…
Not only does it function in the novel to help us relate to the characters, but also helps us to truly understand and empathize with why they turn to alcohol. The Indians Junior describes turn to alcohol for the same reasons that many people in my generation take it out on their bodies, through self-harm, drug usage, and often alcohol as well. Upon this understanding, the Native Americans motives for resorting to these habits and the difficulty that comes with breaking out of them becomes relatable and understandable to the reader. (Example of quote about how hard it is to overcome) As far as the story as a whole, overcoming pain is certainly central to the story’s resolution and message. Junior learns to not succumb to the negative, although easy, methods of eradicating pain, and instead builds himself up into the kind of person he wants to be. “I cried because so many of my fellow tribal members were slowly killing themselves and I wanted them to live. I wanted them to get strong and get sober and get the hell off the rez.” (Alexie, 184) (include how Junior is brave and courageous enough to surpass