Identity is an instrument that is crucial to mental development, which can be used to determine someone’s true character and further pave the path of one’s life to culminate at a point of happiness. Opposingly, unknown identity paired with maturation has a likely outcome of sorrow. In the novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie, the main character, Junior, is incapable of finding his true identity, because of the fact that Junior resides on an Indian reservation, but attends a school that is primarily white people, which results in Junior’s maturity and mental ability being tested. These setbacks in the novel drive the fascination of the audience, and leave the reader questioning the importance of their true identity. Junior was born a Spokane Indian, …show more content…
Throughout the novel, Junior highlights the importance of his identity, but is still unable to choose a “tribe” to remain with. Junior’s alternating identity is vital throughout the story, which establishes his maturity, and ultimately makes Junior a stronger person.
Junior was born an Indian, but now must choose between sticking with tradition, or making a better life for himself, but his true identity is challenged by none other than the people he cares about most, causing Junior to eventually succeed . Throughout the story, Junior is consistently set back and dismissed by all aspects of life, whether it be death, making friends, or school. The conflict is that Junior is loved at his new school by many, but loved even more at home where he has a lesser chance of succeeding; this being demonstrated by Junior stating, “I feel like being Indian was my job, but it was only a part-time job. And it didn’t pay well” (Alexie 118). The narrator is now feels that he in a position where working your way out of an enviornment that is essentially hopeless. Being another statistic is something