Essay on Themes in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

This essay provides a comprehensive analysis of Sherman Alexie's novel, 'The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,' focusing on the protagonist, Arnold Spirit Junior, and his experiences growing up on a Spokane Indian reservation. The essay explores the themes of identity, poverty, alcoholism, mental and physical disability, racism, and the challenges faced by Native Americans. It delves into the episodic structure of the novel, highlighting the emotional turmoil and resilience of the characters, particularly Arnold's journey of self-discovery as he navigates between two worlds: the reservation and the all-white Reardan High School. The essay examines the significance of key characters like Rowdy, Penelope, and Mary, and their impact on Arnold's development, and the author's use of humor and tragedy to portray the complexities of reservation life. The essay also analyzes the novel's resolution, focusing on the reconciliation between Arnold and Rowdy, and the author's semi-autobiographical elements, offering insights into the author's experiences and the broader societal issues addressed in the novel.

Running head: THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN
THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian novel by Sherman Alexie which
explores the grim and troubled life of young child of fourteen years old Arnold Spirit Junior,
suffering from hydrocephalus. The novels is considered as a semi autobiography of the author
who records a detailed life span of from early turbulent childhood days till his adolescent
experiences of the tragedies he faced. The story is portrayed in an episodic style where his life
runs through a chain of tragic events right from the very beginning where his deprived
physicality makes him a victim in almost every avenues of life. Born to a poor family and an
alcoholic father, he grows up seeing an underprivileged lifestyle. At the dawn of the incident of
using the same text book which was used by his mother, extracts a violent behavior from him as
he threw the textbook which hurts his professor. His companion Rowdy seems a moral support
for him despite his intimidating role which he plays in his life. Outraged by the facets of
reservation, he was transferred from Wellpint to Reardan high school, when the attacked
professor convinces his parents for transfer sensing his precocious talent. This led to wide gap
between the two companions, when Arnold parted for a better school in Reardan. Moving to the
new school and closely observing his crush, Penelope and study partner, Gordy, he realizes the
cold white culture and strength of the distinct bond of his family. When Roger, his peer in school
insults him for his reservation background, he punches his face, which makes his peers more
respectful towards him contrary to his expectations. His popularity also increases among the girls
due to his familiarity with Penelope. His expedition to the basketball venture, bring him to
confront is childhood friend, Rowdy, who is now the basketball star of his former school,
Wellpint. Junior realizes the anguish of the reservation people for his transfer on the very first
match of the basketball court when he is insulted again. Junior also had suffer from injuries after
the match when Rowdy attacked him. Junior is also praised for his commitment and dedication

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to the team. Gradually novels moves towards a major turning point when Arnold’s most loved
grandmother who looked after reservation people, is killed by a drunkard. The events turned
more gruesome for the Arnold, when his friend Eugene is shot over an alcohol broil by his
friend, Bobby. These subsequent of deaths had much scarred Arnold, yet the emotional turmoil
couldn’t drowned his spirit as he knocked Rowdy in his second match against Wellpint.
However, the feeling of triumph soon dissipates when he realizes the defeat of Wellpint players
is a reminiscent of his difficult times and a bleak future. Immensely aggrieved by the thought, he
locks himself and breaks down in utter grief. His grief is further triggered when he acknowledges
the news of sister’s and his husband’s death in a fire accident. The predominance of the theme of
alcohol abuse and testing time for Arnold where he had to face a repercussions of death led him
to deep thoughts of bleak future. He realized the challenges of the reservation class which made
him more sensitive to their issues. Arnold is struggling with his inner self where he needs to
reconcile with crucial fragments of his life. He realizes the deep sense of love and family amidst
the background chores of his life. Fitting in his all white school, criticism from his community
and sticking thick and thin with his culture to realize that he is both Indian and American tears
him apart throughout the novel. As the story develops intense with gruesome deaths, the climax
shows the resolve between the two childhood friends amicably over a football match. The author
has mostly ingrained his experiences of being a part of reservation class in the threads of the
story as like the protagonist he too suffered from the same physical disorder and was bullied in
the story. In fact, reflections of the author often peeped through the protagonist. The story is
centered much on the events which bring about an emotional turmoil in the life of the boy.
Despite developing an emotional connect with the story, the novel goes on to explore the darker
aspects of poverty, alcohol abuse, violence, bullying, mental disabilities which makes it one of

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the masterpiece work of Sherman Alexie. The story inspires a resilience that a young boy, a
budding cartoonist have to face while dealing with intense issues right from a tender age. The
humor and joy in the novel springs from the pain as topics like racism, disability, poverty and
alcoholism is used as a theme to tell a tale. There are many characters in the story which intends
to touch upon the peripheral theme which helps the story to move towards the right direction.
Rowdy, the companion of Arnold spends most of the time with his friend’s family as he is victim
of the physical abuse of his own family. The very title of the novel indicates the overwhelming
sentiment of Arnold who is undergoing with his inner conflict and feeling partly Indian after
giving up the reservation on the request of his professor. The romantic evolvement of the two
kids, Arnold and Penelope, who is supposed to be an anorexic, adds a fervor of love amidst the
dark humor. The story unravels entailing different segments of the same thread which later knits
into one complete story with the reconcilement of the protagonist. This happens when at the end
Rowdy tells his friend Arnold that he is a nomad. Shuffling between two identities, Arnold
realizes that he is multi-tribal adhering several attributes of the vibrant culture. There is also a
wide spectrum of characters, where Rowdy acts an antagonist to Arnold, Mary acts a foil to him.
While Arnold moves out of the reservation to join Reardan high school, her sister Mary moves
from one reservation to another in Montana. Her life can be contrasted with her brother who
finally reconciles with conflict, she is swallowed in an unfortunate accident and meets her
tragedy and end dreadfully. The theme of friendship underlies as a foremost element to move the
story to develop action further and ultimately culminates into a harmony between the two
friends. Hence it can be said, the author though has used the concept of realism quite effectively
to bring the out the essence of the story with quite ease and perfection. We feel every bit of the
emotion and empathizes with the characters as they are innocent budding characters which faces

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a lot of turbulence beyond their limitation. The mental and physical disability also aggravates the
pain felt hence culminating into a peace finding story at the end of the novel. Sherman Alexie
has set an exemplary example of the issues faced by a reservation class and effortlessly reflect
brilliantly on their anxiousness of bleak future. He has been able to arouse mixed emotion
throughout the novel and satisfies the urge with subsequent events quite well. We tend to feel
attached to not the characters and feel them quite deeply thus achieving the very motive of novel.
The novel have received much attention and praise which takes it to the pedestal of Sherman’s
works. The novel has been a roller coaster ride for not only the character but also for the readers.

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References
Alexie, Sherman, and Ellen Forney. The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. Recorded
Books, 2008.