The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Alexie, Sherman. 2007. THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN. Illustrated by Ellen Forney. New York: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 9780329653163.

Arnold, Junior, Spirit was born with quite a few health problems and has been picked on by everyone his entire life. His best friend Rowdy is the only person he can really call a friend. Junior realizes that he lives in poverty and this frustrates him. “Poverty doesn't give you strength or teach you lessons about perseverance. No, poverty only teaches you how to be poor” (page 13).

Junior wants a better life for himself. After an incident at the school on the reservation, or rez, and a conversation with his math teacher he decides he deserves a better education than the one he will receive on the reservation. He makes up his mind that he is going to enroll in school in the neighboring town. Although he becomes an outcast on the reservation and doesn’t really fit in at his new school he knows he is doing what is best for him. 

During the book Junior struggles trying to figure out who he really is. He feels torn between the person he is at school and the reservation, especially knowing that he doesn't really fit in at either place. " I was half Indian in one place and half white in the other" (page 118).

Even though he is considered an outsider on the reservation there is still a strong sense of family when Junior’s grandmother dies. People respect him enough to leave him alone while he is grieving the loss of his grandmother. Although the book stereotypically portrays Indians as mostly drunk, poor, and abusive, it does reinforce the strong sense of community found among Indians.

Junior uses real, modern language to describe being an Indian. Young Adults will be able to relate more to the book because of this language. The use of illustrations throughout the book breaks up the text for readers. The illustrations also help make points during the story such as the full-page illustration on page 89. It shows the trouble Junior has getting to the school each day. It reinforces the fact that he is dedicated to getting an education no matter the cost.

This book will resonate with students who are trying to find a place to fit in and with those who are looking for a better life. “ The story is bittersweet and intense; events are sometimes shocking, but the author does an excellent job of keeping the novel moving at an interesting pace” (Glantz 2008).

Throughout the book Junior discovers that even though circumstances might not always be in his favor he has an inner strength that will help him get through even the toughest times. 

Reference List:
Glantz, Shelley. "Review of The Absoluetly True Diary of a Part-Time Indian." Library Media Connection 26, no. 4 (2008): 75. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,uid&profile=ehost&defaultdb=lih (accessed September 17, 2011).