Born with a rare condition that resulted in mild brain damage and occasional seizures, while also being subjected to several beating by almost everyone in his reservation; Junior has had a tough journey throughout his life. In the novel,“ The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie, a fifteen year old Native American boy named Junior is forced to decide between remaining in the reservation; he and his whole family have lived on for years, or tamper tradition and attend a school away from his reservation. By Junior attending school off the reservation, he is bringing dishonor to his family, betraying his Native American identity, and conforming to the Western ways. Native Americans who live on reservations like our main …show more content…
Junior had began to find his place meeting new friends like Gordy the Reardan boy genius, Roger the best player on the basketball team, and Penelope the beautiful popular girl in Reardan. Compared to his old school in the reservation where he was beaten up just about everyday, Reardan is seeming like the best decision. Junior is speaking to himself about Penelope's decision declaring him cute. Penelope publicly declaring Junior cute made “all of the girls in school decide that [he] was cute,...[and] all of the boys in school decide that [he] was a major stud” (110). Junior finding these new friends that accepted him for who he was, gave him more of an objective to say and continue to be further accepted by them. This acceptance is something he has only been able to find with one other friend which was Rowdy, who now hated Junior at this time. Not only has Junior been able to be accepted by most the student a Reardan, but he also managed to fall in love with a white girl, Penelope, making him question what to do (115). These conflicting feeling Junior is having is making him feel lost and confused, making him pick between his Native Identity and this new found Western culture. By Junior liking a white girl he has chosen and accepted the Western