1. Interpret/explain/explore the context and significance of the last line of the book (230).

             "We didn't keep score". This is the last line of the novel showing that Arnold and Rowdy are friends once again. At the beginning of this scene when the game first begins they were competitive and talked about "crushing" the other in one on one. As the game continues Rowdy describes his new knowledge in the term nomadic. He shows Arnold that he respects him and is happy for him and the fact that he can simply pick up and move off the reservation. Although they were enemies and went through a very hard time they have been able to save their friendship and respect each others choices. They are about to embark on two different life styles but are no longer trying to change each other. It means a lot to Arnold that rowdy can forgive him for abadoning the Rez and even more being happy for him.  This is the first time Rowdy shared his happiness and respect for Arnold. During the book they are both trying to get ahead and put the other one done.  Finally they have matured enough to gain respect and simply play a game of basketball without keeping tabs on how they are doing.  They can enjoy their friendship as well as this game.  They now do not care and are just trying to play around like normal friends. This shows how strong their friendship was and how much they have learned over the year. This is a creative and interesting way to end a book and explain it in one solid line. Have you ever had a friendship that has gone through a hard time? Do you think Rowdy and Arnold will be friends as adults?

Why does Junior feel he wants to get back to school? What happens when he gets there?

After the drunken death of his sister, Arnold couldn't handle the grieving over another person he cared about. He began to try to forget. He felt like he "was in this weird fog" (209). It was like in the story The Stone Boy where the main character, a kid also named Arnold, was so overloaded with the death of his brother to even grieve over him. This situation was the same. Arnold was so overloaded with the emotion that he laughed crazily when his father came to pick him up and he barely remembered anything that happened during the funeral. The funeral itself was something Arnold disliked. Everyone was getting drunk and sad about his sister. No one was "crying and laughing and telling stories about my sister"(212). He couldn't watch everyone get drunk over his sisters death, it was too much for him. So he ran off to school, to a place where it wasn't so sad and didn't have the stench of beer.

At school everyone has already heard that his sister had died. They all felt sad about his loss and "were worried for"Arnold (212). They all wanted to help him but it is hard to relate to what he is feeling. But they did make Arnold feel important and like someone that mattered. To Arnold, it was a new experience for him. Not many people had actually really cared about Arnold. He may not have known what to say to other people during that time but, he definitely felt better at school that day.

Do you think that Arnold should have stayed at the funeral? Do you think his reaction to his sister's death is okay? Have you had a time were you felt like you had lost everything? Why do you think Arnold couldn't stand watching everyone get drunk? Why do you think that Arnold was so surprised that everyone at school cared about him?

1. In this time of grief, why do you think Junior laughs so much? What are the specific moments he laughs the hardest?

I think that Junior laughs, as his way of trying to get over the death of Mary. When the guidance counselor first told him, he said "if i didn't actually accept the truth, then maybe it would become false. He is denying the fact because he doesn't want to accept it." (201)
The first time he laughs hysterically is when his dad pulls up and he sees that his dad is alive and he had no reason to be so worried.
He laughs at himself for being so paranoid and scared. He is also very happy that his dad is alive. He  is sort of making up a reason to 'celebrate' so that he doesn't have to grieve.
The second time he starts laughing is when he is thinking about how his sister was, "TOO FREAKING DRUNK to feel any pain when she BURNED TO DEATH..." (205)
he is mad at his sister, and indians in general for drinking too much, everyone of his family members that died in those few months died because of alcohol. So at that moment he REALLY hated alcohol.
He is laughing because it is so pathetic that people continue to drink and get drunk after so many people have died because of it. He is mad and sad at the same time.
I think all of these times, he is laughing because he has so many emotions jumbled up inside him and he has no idea how to react... so he just laughs and laughs.

Do you agree with me on why he laughs so much? How do different people deal with death and grief in their life? How would you react in this same situation? Do you think Arnold will ever recover from this traumatic period in his life?

#2 What Rowdy Says to Junior at the Funeral

On page 211, at his sister Mary's funeral, Junior spots Rowdy out in the woods. He runs towards him to see he is crying. Their exchange is terse but Rowdy definitely accuses Junior of horrible things.

""It's all your fault," He said. "What's my fault?" I asked. "Your sister is dead because you left us. You killed her."" Rowdy flat out accuses Junior of killing Mary. Not physically, but psychologically.
"But she got married so quickly and left the rez because I hard left the rez first. She was only living in Montana in a cheap trailer house because I had gone to school in Reardan. She had burned to death because I had decided that I wanted to spend my life with white people." -page 211.

Here Junior is blaming himself for Mary's own mistakes. Mary was living in the basement for years. Junior was about to go into high school when he was smart enough to leave the rez. He found a way out through education. Mary saw her younger brother leaving and realized she needed to leave too, blinded by the thrill of the adventure she had only read in her books, and maybe a little ashamed too. Her little brother had gotten out before her.
This isn't where she really went wrong though. It started with her random marriage. Mary saw this man as a way out and jumped without looking first. She moved to Montana with an almost absolute stranger and started to live in a junky trailer. Alcohol is what killed her. She was being reckless and careless. Junior was only the spark to her flames. Had she not had that wild party, she would still be alive. Junior did the right thing to leave because he inspired Mary to get out too. What Rowdy said was out of spite and anger. It was Rowdy's way of saying that Reardan was a huge and regrettable mistake. The funeral was just happening at that point, so of course Junior wanted to feel bad, his sister had just died! With further evaluation, Junior would see he did the absolute right thing as a role model. Mary just made bad choices.

Do you agree? Why or why not? What if that party had not had happened? Would Mary still be alive or would the universe find another way to strike her down? Have you ever blamed yourself that wasn't you fault?

Do you actually think that Rowdy came to Arnold's door because he was bored? If not why do you think he came? Why did Arnold decide to play basket ball with Rowdy, other thank knowing that Rowdy would never change?

I do not believe that Rowdy knocked on Arnold's door just because he was bored.  If Rowdy was just bored he would have found something entertaining to do, rather then going to see his ex-friend's (who he presently hates).  Rowdy realized that he was bored because it was summer and he no longer had his best friend.  In the past, Arnold and Rowdy would spend every minute of every summer together, keeping each other occupied.  On page 17, Arnold says about Rowdy, "It's like he's a family member, an extra brother and son."  Arnold's statement about Rowdy demonstrates the strong relationship between Rowdy and Arnold.  Rowdy also knew that they were best friends...like brothers.  Arnold loved Rowdy and Rowdy loved Arnold.  Although the two of them were not family, they treated each other like family.  They played with each other, they talked to each other when they were down, and they fought each other.  They behaved liked typical siblings; even though they argued and didn't like each other at time, they always loved each other.  Arnold could have said no to Rowdy's offer of playing ball, but I think he knew that would have been the wrong choice and something that Arnold would have regretted for his entire life.  Arnold knew that if he had said "no", Rowdy would have walked away and not given him another chance.  Arnold always wanted to keep his friendship with Rowdy, even if it was not the same as it was before Arnold moved schools.  Both Arnold and Rowdy realized that their lives were too short to lose friendships, especially one as close and strong as theirs.

In this time of grief, why do you think Junior laughs so much? What are the specific moments he laughs the hardest?

              At the beginning of this reading Junior finds out that his sister, Mary, has died in a fire. Junior is fearful that his father might die coming to get him from school. Junior believes this because for Junior life is a constant battle against death. When Junior's father get's to school in one piece Junior is immediately flooded with relief, "I started laughing, I was so relieved, so happy, that I LAUGHED. And I couldn't stop laughing." Another explanation for Junior's laughter is the fact that he has just heard some excruciatingly painful news and we all process pain in different ways, as Junior has touched on before. If you remember the short story, The Stone Boy, the protagonist (ironically named Arnold as well) shuts down emotionally and picks peas after realizing that he is responsible for his brother's death. Junior believes that he has done the same,            "[Rowdy says] 'Your sister is dead because you left us. You killed her.'...Rowdy was right. I had killed my sister."(211) Junior then goes on to explain his reasoning of how he unintentionally killed his sister. Similarly to when Arnold was naked that night and realized what he'd done, at the end of the chapter Junior says, "What do you say to people when they ask you how it feels to lose everything? When every planet in your solar system has exploded?" (213). Junior is just beginning to process what this death actually means. What it means to lose someone so dear to you and blame yourself for it. We also have to remember that Junior is burdened with so much, he has left his home, he has watched his grandmother, father's best friend, and now, his sister die in a few short months. Junior says himself, "I know that death is never added to death, it multiplies." (212).  In conclusion, I think that Junior laughs  because he doesn't know what else to do, nor would any of us in his shoes.
              Do you think that Junior is being "punished" for trying to get ahead in life? Will Junior ever really be at peace with what happened with Mary? Do you think Junior will ever stop believing that he inadvertently killed his sister? Did you make any other connections to The Stone Boy or any other stories that we've/you've read?

In his moment of grief, why did Junior laugh so much?? What were some moments he laughed the hardest?

During his moments of grief, Junior laughs so much ^ because he is realizing how lucky and happy he is and should be that he still has parts of his family. This sort of fits into the 5th stage of grieving over death, acceptance. He has accepted the fact that he's indian, that his culture has issues with alcohol, and now he's happy that he still has the people in his life that he does have. Those people may include: His mom, dad, Rowdy, Penelope, Gordy, and other assorted people. One more explanation is that he is so sick and tired of going to funerals and having people die that he has gone a bit crazy from it, and now, he can't cry, he can only laugh, maybe at how crazy and terrible his life is. A few of the assorted times he breaks out in HEAVY impromptu laughter are: [But you're alive. I laughed and laughed. I couldn't stop laughing. I felt like I might die of laughing, 204] This is on the car-ride home, when he has just received the news his sis is dead. Another time is [I started pounding the dashboard and stomping on on the floor. I was going absolutely insane with laughter, 206] This is in the same car-ride, when he spits out a bit of cantaloupe. One more is [He was my best friend and I needed him. But I couldn't stop laughing. I looked at Rowdy and he was crying hard now, 210] This is when Junior runs into Rowdy after the funeral, and feels so sad, but can't stop laughing. 

1: Do you view a funeral as a time to remember what a person has done, or be sad over what more they could have done?

2: Why does Rowdy insist that Mary dying is Junior's fault?

3: Do you think it WAS Junior's fault in any way?

4: Based on this reading, do you think that Alcohol Abuse is a main issue in this book? Why?

5: Why was Rowdy watching Mary's funeral?

Explain the Significance/Importance/Deeper Meaning of the last line of the book... IF YOU CAN!!

        Anyway, to recap, the last line of the book is [And we didn't keep score] (a page number is beside the point). This was because Junior and Rowdy had finally come to terms and were playing a game of B-Ball against each other, both realizing how little your school and individual goals matter and should never get in the way of  your friendship. Etc. Anyways.
        The significance of this quote is that through this entire book, Rowdy and Junior have been pitted against each other (mostly Rowdy against Junior) but in the very end, they have reached some form of mutual agreement to be friends, and are playing a semi-quiet game against each other because words don't need to be said, they are so happy to be back together again. However, this last line puts a decent end to the conflict between them the entire book. They have been "fighting" against each other's wills the entire book, and so with this final basketball game, and this final quote, it is saying that the competition is over, we're friends again, there is no need to keep score because in our eyes, we are equal. That is the concept of the last line. Equality, just like the beginning, contrasting the center of the book.
1) Do you think this was a good ending for the book?
2) If you could change the ending, how would you do it?
3) Do you think that Rowdy and Junior are even, or do you think that there will be other conflict in the future between them?
4) Do you think their relationship will be the same as before? If so, why? If not, why?
5) Make a list of your 10 favorite moments in this book.

In the last sentence on page 167, Junior says: "And all of us laughed as we walked and drove and rode our way back to our lonely, lonely houses." What is the irony in this? Why is this such a powerful moment for Junior? What is he saying about his tribe?

At first, Grandmother Spirit's wake was very sad, "And everybody knew that losing my grandmother was horrible. So they all waved the white flag that day and let me grieve in peace" (159). But Ted's visit turned the mood around. Everyone was so amused that Ted showed up and made this long speech about how sorry he was then sped away in embarrassment, "For about two minutes, we all sat quiet. Who knew what to say? And then my mother started laughing. And that set us all off." (166). The irony in this is that, this is supposed to be a wake, it's supposed to be sad, but everyone was laughing. "All of us laughed when they lowered my grandmother into the ground. And all of us laughed when they covered her with dirt" (167).  Nobody could stop, that is very ironic because laughing is the thing you would least expect at a wake. This is such a powerful moment for Junior because it is signaling that he and his tribe are moving on from this terrible tragedy and that they are moving on with their lives. Even though Junior is a "traitor" nobody is bullying him today because they respect that someone he loves has passed away and they know how much this is affecting him. Junior reveals that his tribe knows when to stop the criticism, they understand, because they have been through the same thing, a loved one passes away. If Ted didn't visit, how do you think this would have affected Junior? Do you think that it is good that Ted came? Why so or why not? Do you have a personal experience that relates to this? How does it relate?

Summarize the outcome of the game. Why does Junior cry at the end? What does he realize?

        Junior led his team to victory by starting out the game with an outstanding move. As Rowdy was about to dunk, he jumped higher than he thought possible and took the ball right out of Rowdy's hands. He then proceeded to shoot the ball into the basket and score. Junior was filled with self confidence and that is the reason he did so well during the game. "You can do it. I can do it. Let's do it" (189). When he had a low self esteem, he discouraged himself from doing great things. Reardan ended up beating Wellpinit by forty points. It wasn't until Junior saw the distant look on his dad's face that he started to feel ashamed about winning. He knew that the kids at Reardan were better off in life already and some of the kids at Wellpinit hadn't even eaten breakfast that morning. The reason he felt so ashamed is because he knew what is was like to be poor, hungry, and living with alcoholics for parents. He knew how much pain they were in, he knew that most of them had no hope left and by Reardan winning the game they were crushing the Wellpinit kids' last bit of hope. "Wellpinit never recovered from their loss to us" (196). They didn't recover because they were discouraged from ever playing again after Reardan crushed their hope. They would never have the opportunities that Junior would have in Reardan and he felt very guilty for taking away something small that would mean the world to them. "I suddenly wanted to apologize to Rowdy, to all of the other Spokanes" (196).  
        Do you think that Junior will be haunted with this guilt for the rest of his life? Will this make Rowdy hate Junior more than he already does? How would you feel in a similar situation? 

Why does Junior say he would always love his tribe? What do you think this reveals about Junior?

On page 160, Junior says "no matter what else happened between my tribe and me, I would always love them for giving me peace on the day of my grandmother's funeral".  Although Junior loved his tribe for leaving him alone on the day of the funeral, he loved his tribe for more reasons then this.  Junior wanted to leave the tribe to improve his situation, including transferring to Reardan so that he could get a better education and leaving all the negative aspects of the tribe behind, however, Junior still appreciated many things about the tribe.  He still loved his family, he loved his friends and he loved how his family and friends came together during difficult times.  Even though many people were angry and believed that Junior was a traitor for leaving the reservation, the funeral was not about him, but it was about Grandmother and the "two thousand Indians (and a few white folks) [who] sat and stood on the football field [to say] good-bye to the greatest Spokane Indian in history". (page 161)  This reveals that there was something that he and the tribe all had in common and that they would never lose even if he had left the reservation. Junior knew that deep down all the tribes people understood the grief that he felt because they all felt the same grief, and you have to experience the same bad things to understand how this feels.  Junior's friends at school were supportive, but it was only the tribe that could really understand how he felt, and he loved them for it.

Is there a some connection that you have with your culture that people outside of your culture can't really understand or feel?  Is there a group of people who you can call family, but are not related? Have you ever been in a situation where a friend or friends stood up for you even thou it was not a popular thing to do?

Summarize the cartoon on 182. What is the significance? What does it show about Junior? What is his dilemma?

(Post for 179-198)

              The significance of the cartoon on page 182 is that he is two different people living in two different worlds. As shown in the Wellpinit gym, the fans hate and despise him for "being a traitor". He has a thought bubble thinking "who am I?" (182).  But when he is at the Rearden gym, the fans cheer for him like he is "some kind of crusading warrior" (182).  The crowds love him like all the other players on the team. But one similarity is that he is wondering who he is. In one gym he is a traitor, but he is at his home, but at the other gym, he is a warrior and the majority of the fans love him, but it isn't his home, he is still partly an outsider. 

              This cartoon shows Junior that he is a traitor. He feels like "one of those Indian scouts who led the U.S. cavalry against other Indians"(182). He is betraying his Indian to become white. This cartoon relates to the title "The absolute true story of a part-time Indian". Now that he is at Rearden, he can not call himself a true Indian, after all, he switched to an all white high school. This cartoon shows that. 

              Do you think that his "relationship" with the Rez or Rearden will change? If Arnold had to pick one side of him, his Indian side or his white side, even though he is not technically white at all, which one do you think he would pick? What if you were in his shoes, what would you pick? If the fans at the Wellpinit gym treated him just like at the Rearden gym, which gym do you think he would rather want to play at?

Summarize the outcome of the game. Why does Junior cry at the end? What does he realize?

Note: This is a post on pages 179 – 198.

At the end of their game with the Wellpinit Redskins, the Reardan Indians win by forty points. By this tremendous win, they are, of course, elated with feelings of triumph. Junior’s emotional response to the outcome of this game is two-fold. On one hand, he says, “We had killed the Redskins” (194), which indicates that he too is proud of his team’s victory. He goes on to allude to the story of David and Goliath, associating his team with the former, the courageous hero, and the opponent with the latter, the vicious antagonist.

On the other hand, he then says, “I realized that my team… was Goliath.” (195) He then cries, overcome with shame. This is because he recognizes the sorrow of the Wellpinit team – a grief he too has known. Junior says, “I was crying because I had broken my best friend’s heart.” (196) He describes the great, prosperous lives of the people on his team, contrasting that of the opponents’. So while this was just a game to the Reardan team (albeit a very important one), to the Wellpinits it was their only hope: their only source of happiness. And to destroy this potential joy is why Junior is so ashamed of his revenge. How do you think Arnold’s realization will shape his morals as an adult? Behind every victory is a loss – how does this relate to your own experiences? Would you chose your own happiness over your best friend’s, like Junior did?

In the last sentence on page 167, Junior says: "And all of us laughed as we walked and drove and rode our way back to our lonely, lonely houses." What is the irony in this? Why is this such a powerful moment for Junior? What is he saying about his tribe?

                Junior was at his grandmother’s funeral and it had just ended and everyone was going home. This quote includes irony because they were at a very sad event which most people usually crying. Instead of crying though, they were all laughing. “When it comes to death, we know that laughter and tears are pretty much the same thing (p. 166).” This shows that the tribe doesn’t care whether they are laughing or crying, because they are the same thing. In their culture, laugh or cry, they are all appreciating the person who died together as tribe. Junior also says, “Each funeral was a funeral for all of us. We lived and died together (p. 166).” As a tribe they are all very close to each other and when one person’s family member dies, it is a loss for everyone. They all laugh, cry, and help each other which is why they are so close. For example, even though Junior is a “traitor” for leaving the reservation to go to Reardon, when his grandmother dies, his tribe respects his pain. “I was still the kid who had betrayed the tribe. And that couldn’t be forgiven…So they all waved the white flag that day and let me grieve in peace (p. 159).” Junior is thankful that his tribe isn’t being mean to him on the day that he is grieving for his grandmother. This shows that no matter how mad Junior makes his tribe, they will still always respect and leave him in peace when a family member dies. This entire day is important for Junior because it is his final goodbye to his grandmother and it is also a day of peace for him to mourn or laugh.  In conclusion, Junior’s tribe is respectful and understanding.

Do you think Junior will encounter another death? If yes then what happens? Will Junior’s tribe give him more peace, or will they get mad at him again tomorrow? Why do you think Junior and his tribe believe that tears and laughter are practically the same thing?

What Was Junior's Grandmother's Greatest Gift? What Has Happened To Indians' Sense Of Tolerance? Why Has That Occurred/

          Junior's grandmother's greatest gift was tolerance towards others. In the chapter "Red versus White", Junior goes on and on how he isn't in love with white people.  How he hasn't turned into a white person. That he still loves things about the Rez that Reardan doesn't have. One of which is his grandmother's sense of tolerance. He talks about how she is so popular around the powwow conventions and how everyone knows her. Not just her name and what she looks like, but actually what she likes to do, her personality, if she likes the Packers or the Bears. Even in her dying moments, she shows tolerance for what has happened and has sympathy for the man that ran her over. "Yes," the surgeon said, "she said' Forgive him.'" That's how subtle she was toward tragedy and struggles. She didn't want any harm to come to others, even those who had brought harm to her. You're probably thinking, "Well everybody has some sense of tolerance," and you're probably right, but on the Rez everyone has lost any sort of tolerance towards white people and people like them. It happened because the white people came into the land and started taking control over everything. So you can't blame them for hating white people. For example, the way they acted at the basketball game. The people on the Rez went absolutely ballistic before and during the game. That's what makes Junior's grandmother so special. She can deal with people of other race/ethnicity without lashing out, even if she hates the person from the bottom of her heart, she shows respect and kindness towards them.

            So, if you were junior's grandmother, and you had gone through all of the bad times(not saying that you have), how would you handle yourself in terms of tolerance towards these terrible tragedies? Do you think you would be able to stay so calm in the face of injustice? Could you have given Gerald your forgiveness after he ran you over? If not, would you keep your hatred bundled up inside, or would you express it towards others? Do you wish everyone had tolerance like Junior's grandmother?

Who is Arnold's first game against? How do the Fans react? What advice does coach give Arnold? How does this affect how Arnold feels?


                Arnold's first game is against his home town, He is very scared and he throws up four times before the game. This shows that he is scared, but it also shows that he cares about the game, which is all that matters. When Arnold and the team start to walk into the building, there are about 200 fans all chanting "Arnold sucks, Arnold sucks." As soon as he walks into the building they all stop, almost as if they planned it out completely just to make him feel the worst he can. Everyone except Rowdy turns around, he is ready to play the game which just somehow makes Arnold laugh. He starts to cry and laugh afterwards because he really doesn't know what to think. His Coach tells him to use his tears and pain to make him mad. It definitely works because Arnold is madder than ever. He wants to do the best he can, and when he makes the layup and Rowdy elbows him for stitches, he has them done right away no matter what the result is. "You stitch me up. I want to play tonight." This is a small analogy for the life that Arnold has to live. He has to always try his best and work harder than anyone else in order to do well just because he is Indian. That whole game was basically an analogy because he cares about the game and he cares about how he does and he just wants to do the best he can. It also shows his struggles between the Indian side and the White side, The "apple".

                On page 153, Arnold is talking about how some dads disappear without even leaving the couch. "But those white dads can completely disappear without ever leaving the living room." What do you think he means by this? Also, in the end of the chapter, Arnold is talking about his grandmother and how perfectly amazing she is. He then states a week later she was hit by a drunk driver and killed. Why do you think the Author waited until after telling the reader about her amazingness, to tell the reader that she was killed? Try and think very deeply about this.

How did Junior make the basketball team? In what ways is this related to the conversation he had with his dad earlier?

            When Junior goes for basketball tryouts, he is very nervous. "On the first day of practice, I stepped onto the court and felt short, skinny, and slow,"(136) says Junior. Junior doesn't think that he's good enough to make varsity or junior varsity - "I knew for sure I wouldn't make those teams. I was C squad material, for sure,"(138) he says - but the coach quickly changes the game for him. "'In other years, we've also had a twelve-man C squad...But we don''t have the budget for it this year. That means I'm going to have to cut sixteen players today.'" Junior quickly realizes that he will have to be good enough or not get on the team. He tries his hardest as he runs the laps and soon it is time for full-court one-on-one. When he goes up against Roger "the Giant" and falls, the coach recognizes him from the eight-grade team on the reservation, because he was "'a good shooter'"(140). He asks Junior if he wants a break. "Ninety percent of me wanted to take the break. But I knew if I took that break I would never make the team,"(140) Junior thinks. Junior ends up making varsity because of his perseverance. When convincing him to sign up for basketball, Junior's dad's advice was "'You have to dream big to get big'"(136). This is related to the way that Junior made the team because Junior wanted to make the team really badly, so he tried really hard and he achieved his goal. His "dream" was to make basketball, so he put everything he had into it, and he "got" it.
            During the game, Rowdy was the main reason why Junior had to go to the hospital. Do you think that there is any chance of them becoming best friends again? Do you think the reservation community will ever accept Junior again? How did the support of the Reardan team and their coach impact Junior when facing off against his community? How do you think the game might have gone differently if it was at Reardan?

On page 132, Gordy says: "Well, life is a constant struggle between being an individual and being a member of the community." Explain this quote and how it relates to Junior, and also to a main theme in the novel.

                    I believe that Gordy well understands Arnold's position, the fact that he is Indian, attending a school in a small racist white town. He knows that Arnold can sometimes feel caught between his different personalities. This quote is also instigated by the fact that Arnold told Gordy that he had lost his best friend Rowdy, Rowdy representing the community and the connection between Arnold and it. "Well, he used to be my best friend. He hates me now. 'How come he hates you?'"..."'Because I left the rez.'" (131) When Arnold leaves the reservation he knows that he will receive pressure and be bullied even more by it. This is the result of the conflict between Junior being himself, following his dreams, and the reservation. Arnold is executing a plan, hoping that his dreams will come true by leaving the rez, this is not accepted by his community because they believe that he is a white lover and is red on the outside and white on the inside. "A lot of them call me an apple." This ties back almost identically to the theme of the story, Arnold's identity. Him finding who he really is and being who he really is, as opposed to what his fellow Indians say he should be or will become, and Arnold following and being caught in the single story. Do you think that Arnold is greatly influenced by the reservation, or is strong enough to follow his own path?

On page 132, Gordy says: "Well, life is a constant struggle between being an individual and being a member of the community." Explain this quote and how it relates to Junior, and also to a main theme in the novel.

                This quote relates to Junior because he is struggling to be a Indian in his community and at the same time the individual that he aspires to be. On page 118 Junior says "I was half indian in one place and half white in the other". Junior is struggling to be two different people and constantly switching in between his two sides. If he does not switch from his "white half" before going to the reservation he will get beat up. If he dose not switch from his "Indian half" before going to Reardan he will be shunned. This is the conflict that Junior has to undergo to be accepted by the outside world and get an education while still keeps his ties to his community and family. On page 132 Gordy explains why Arnold must still have his community. "In the early days of humans, the community was our only protection against predators, and against starvation. We survived because we trusted each other. For this reason Arnold believes he can not give up his Indian side completely because he needs to fall back on them for support every-now and then. He also feels attached to his heritage but at the same time wants to achieve higher goals.

                  This quote can also be related to the title of the novel "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian". "It was like being Indian was my job, but it was only a part-time job" (118) Arnold says this to not only explain the novels title but to show that he is not considered a true Indian.  This is because he spends time educating himself and socializing with white people.  He one of the few Indians who is openly unhappy with the quality of life on the reservation and is trying to do something about this dissatisfaction.

            What do you think will happen to Arnold if he brakes away from the tribe completely? Gordy also says that they survived because the trusted each other. Do you think the members of Arnold's tribe trust him enough to help him out if he needs it?

Junior says that the night of the Winter Formal was one of the "best nights of his life." Why? Explain. Do you think it could be a great night, but also confusing for Junior at the same time? Why?

     I think Junior thought it was one of the best nights of his life because at that moment he was no different than anyone else, no one made fun of his old fashioned outfit, no one thought he was poor, and Junior was having an amazing time with Penelope. Earlier he said "The only person that made me feel great all the time was Penelope" (118). So if Penelope was happy about him then he would feel happy. During the Winter Formal, he and Penelope were having the time of their lives and because of that Junior felt no different then anyone else at the formal. Everyone was acting like his buddy at that point. He and Penelope were so "happy to be alive together" (122) that it was the one time he didn't feel poor or Indian, he just felt like a regular white teenager.

     It may have been a great day for Junior but it was also definitely confusing. He was confused by a couple of things that happened that night. First of all a simple confusing thing for him was the fact that a guy he punched in the face, Roger, let him borrow $40. It confused Junior because he didn't think that any person would let someone borrow that much money. It confused him on how much money a middle class person could have. The main thing that confused Junior was Penelope's reaction to Juniors poverty. He thought Penelope would leave his life because of it only to end up finding her making Junior's life easier. Junior realized "If you let people into your life a little bit, they can be pretty damn amazing" (129). Even then he was more confused by Penelope's reaction to him walking and hitchhiking every day. When Junior told her he couldn't believe his eyes that Penelope started crying over him. He never thought that people could care about him so much.

          Do you agree with my answers? Do you think that Junior should have told Penelope he was poor earlier? Do you think their friendship will last? Do you think Junior will be popular forever?

On pages 107-109, Junior tells us more about Penelope, and he learns her secret. Explain this situation and why he says “…she’s scared all the time, but nobody will let her be scared…” (108).

              Junior was just coming out of the bathroom when he hears someone throwing up in the girls bathroom. Junior waits for them to be done and when she comes out he sees none other than the apparently bulimic Penelope. Arnold says to Penelope, "Don't give up." (108). This phrase is enough to bring Penelope to tears and she confesses that, "she's scared all the time, but nobody will let her be scared." (108). She says that in reference to her loneliness, something Arnold knows too well. Keep in mind that loneliness isn't about being popular or even having friends. It's about having someone who is there for you and gets you, knows all your hopes and dreams and secrets. Alexie uses Penelope's fear and disorder as a way to break the single story we hear all the time. Yes, Penelope is a smart, pretty, popular, white girl from a small town, but that doesn't necessarily mean that she has to be evil and shallow. She can have hopes, dreams, fears and secrets, but in pop culture today we don't usually see the story from the side of "Penelopes". Penelope admits, "'...I want to be remembered.' And I couldn't make fun of her for that dream. It was my dream, too. And Indian boys weren't supposed to dream like that. And white girls from small towns weren't supposed to dream big, either." This is a great example of looking beyond the single story for both of them. 
              If you flip back into your book, way back to page 57, Arnold has this great image of the difference between White and Indian. But what that image doesn't show is all the things they have in common, dreams like Arnold's and Penelope's. Loneliness and fear that we all know. And pain that we don't like to talk about. In Arnold's words, "There are all kinds of addicts, I guess. We all have pain. And we all look for ways to make the pain go away." Penelope eats and throws up her pain and Indians drink and beat people up. Maybe you think that these are all bad habits or that none of them work. But can anyone logically justify their way of getting rid of their pain? 
            Is there any "healthy" way to relieve yourself of pain? If so, what is it and if not, why? Why do you think it took the 3 words, "Don't give up." for Penelope to open herself up? Do you think Arnold believed the single story about Penelope before her confession?

IRONY ABOUT THANKSGIVING

The irony behind Junior's family's celebration of Thanksgiving is that they were Indian. Yes, the holiday originally started out as a happy time for the Pilgrims and Indians. But then the tables turned and an all out war was launched between both groups. The Indian tribes were nearly wiped out from war and mainly disease. Wouldn't looking back at this holiday bring nothing but pain back to the indians in remembrance of their ancestors?
Junior noticed this and made his point on page 101. "I always think it's funny when Indians Thanksgiving. I mean, sure, the Indians and Pilgrims were best friends during the first Thanksgiving, but a few years later, the Pilgrims were shooting the Indians." So why would they celebrate a holiday with such a dark meaning to their ancestry? Junior asks his father on page 102. ""Hey, Dad," I said. "What do Indians have to be thankful for?" " Catching his father in a rare sober moment, his response was "We should give thanks that they didn't kill all of us." This was probably intended as a joke because they all laughed afterwards though it is not an unwise philosophy. Like the woman in the TED talk video, this family prefers to ignore the negatives that have happened in the past, and reflect upon a happier meaning. Yes, it seems ironic that Indians would celebrate Thanksgiving, though the actual first one was a happy time. Here, they are looking at that moment of thankfulness and happiness as opposed to the dark future that came swiftly afterwards.
If you were Indian, (Native American), would you celebrate Thanksgiving? Why or why not?

On pages 107-109, Junior tells us more about Penelope, and he learns her secret. Explain this situation and why he says “…she’s scared all the time, but nobody will let her be scared…” (108).

Penelope trusts junior enough to open up to him because he reached out to her and made his shoulder available to lean on. She knows that he will keep her secrets because he doesn't really have any friends at Reardan to tell. Penelope at first, doesn't want to believe that what she does is wrong.{"I'm not anorexic," she says, "I'm bulimic." she says with her nose and chin in the air.}(106/107)
I think she doesn't want to believe that she is actually hurting herself and so she justifies it by saying that she only does it sometimes.
Vomiting is Penelope's method of trying to get the pain to go away. Arnold can relate to this because his dad is also an addict and he knows what it is like for her. Luckily, Arnold's method is drawing which is less painful and much more effective.
{" Don't give up"} (108) Arnold says this to Penelope to try and help. He thinks it's really corny advise, however, it is the same advise that gave him hope to leave the Rez and allowed him to lead a new life. These pages in the reading show you that not all white people are perfect. Even someone like Penelope has lost some hope and is hurting inside, When I say someone like Penelope I mean someone who is pretty, smart, popular and white.
Everybody assumes that just because she is so 'perfect' she can't possibly have problems or issues or be unhappy. “…she’s scared all the time, but nobody will let her be scared…” (108). What they don't understand is that beauty, popularity and intelligence don't ALWAYS mean happiness.
Even though she is great in all these ways and has quite an ego, she is lonely.Arnold is her friend so that she doesn't have to be lonely. Her and junior have this one thing in common, loneliness.

Do you think it is possible to be popular and lonely? Why do you think Penelope is not racist like her father? Could Earl be the reason for Penelope's loneliness and the reason that she is scared all the time?

Explain the iroan-ey of the discussion about Thanksgiving.

Let me start of this talk by reminding everyone what iroan-ey is (For you word people, irony). Iroan-ey is when something starts one way, and you expect one thing based on this start, and the exact opposite happens. This exact thing happens during Junior's family's Thanksgiving on the rez. The Thanksgiving starts out perfect: ["We had a turkey, mom cooked it perfectly," 101] and ["It was a feast," 101], and ["Dad was sober, Mom was getting ready to nap, and Grandma was already napping," 102]. So overall, a decent Thanksgiving so far. Junior starts missing Rowdy, so he draws him a funny cartoon and gives it to Rowdy's dad, with the intentions of giving it to Rowdy. His father replies: ["You're kind of gay, aren't you?" 103]. As Junior walks away, he sees Rowdy in the window. Rowdy gives him the finger, and Junior suddenly becomes sad again.

Now to the explanation. This whole scene is ironic because it starts out the perfect Thanksgiving, but then Junior is reminded of how sad he is about Rowdy. The point of Thanksgiving is to be happy, but Junior can't be happy without Rowdy as his friend. The same goes both ways. ["He was watching me walk away, I could see the sadness on his face," 103] Rowdy, at the same time is feeling sad about Junior, too. They both lead pretty depressing lives, so it is safe to assume that one of the main things that they were happy for at Thanksgiving until now was their friendship. Now, however that they aren't really friends anymore makes them both really sad. To wrap up, this is a very iron-ey-ic Thanksgiving, because they should be feeling happy, but instead, they are feeling saddest of sad.

[almost forgot to ask]
Do you think Rowdy and Junior will ever become friends again?
Do you think that tonight's reading has any fore-shadowing in it?
Why do you think Rowdy is rejecting Junior despite the fact that he obviously wants to be friends?
What is a perfect Thanksgiving for you?
DO YOU LIKE STUFFING AND MASHED POTATOES OR JUST MASHED POTATOES!?
(Don't answer that)

EDIT:
A much better answer to this question was put up by Ava. I highly suggest you read it as well as the main post.

Explain the Significance/Importance of the Friendship with Gordy for Junior

        The friendship that Junior has with Gordy is the one thing that is keeping him from giving up all hope. When he had Rowdy, he had someone to talk to and someone to protect him. Before he became friends with Gordy, he felt invisible. "I was lonely and isolated and terrified"(94). He was all alone in a school where he was already looked down on and bullied by his peers everyday. His friendship with Gordy boosted his self confidence and made him feel better about his life at Reardan and most importantly, himself. "He certainly helped me through school" (98). It took effort from both Gordy and Junior to commit to the friendship at first, but in the end, it benefitted both of them. After they became friends, Junior decided to come out of his shell. Towards the end of the chapter, he became more energetic and outgoing. Him and Gordy were both joking around and seemed very happy together. "Gordy and I laughed"(98). He felt that it was okay to be himself around Gordy. He hadn't felt this way around anyone since Rowdy and it felt good to him. For Junior, having a friend in an unknown place where he's the main target of bullying means a lot. Now that Junior has a friend, he also has someone to protect him and make him feel good about himself which is something that Rowdy used to do.

        Do you think that Gordy is going to take the place of Rowdy in Junior's life? Is he going to be that important of an influence? Do you think that Junior's experience at Reardan is going to be greatly affected by Gordy?

          

  

Explain the significance/importance of the friendship with Gordy for Junior.

Junior’s friendship with Gordy is very significant to him, as it is, so far, his only hope at Reardan. Although the other students talk to him, they don’t socialize with him. However, Gordy accepts him, and on page 94, Junior says “And so we did become friends”, where the tone shifts from persistent melancholy to some feelings of optimism. This gives Junior some sense of acceptance, and most likely Gordy as well, as they are both “lonely and sad and isolated and terrified.” Thus, they comfort each other while shunned by the other students. Also, Gordy assists Junior throughout his school life, and provides him encouragement, as indicated on page 94, wherein Junior says “He wouldn’t let me give up.” Though this is a subtle example, it is not something Junior experiences frequently in his daily life.

In addition, Junior’s friendship with Gordy is meaningful because of their common love of books. In Wellipinit, Junior “was a freak because [he] loved books.” (98)  But in Reardan, his great affection is supported and animated by Gordy, and will probably remain throughout his time there. So in conclusion, this friendship is important as Gordy provides the same vitality to Junior as Rowdy did, though in different ways. This energy is clearly sensed at the end of the reading.

How do you think Gordy influences Junior’s identity, and his understanding of himself? It could be argued that Junior’s friendship with Gordy is not as strong as that with Rowdy. Do you agree or disagree with this? How does Gordy’s reference to the world being full of “things you don’t know” (97) affect Junior’s appreciation of his heritage and home?

On pages 82-84, Junior explains how alone he feels. Why does he feel this way? How does what happens in science class reinforce this feeling?

               Junior feels alone because he has nobody to go to, nobody to talk to, he is a smudge on a huge canvas.  At this point he does not even think of himself as a human, "If you think of everybody with a body, soul, and a brain as a human, then I was the opposite of a human" (83). He has lost the friendship of his best pal, Rowdy, and he is an outcast at his new white high school. The school was making him become "something less than Indian". The white people did not pay any attention to him, they did not even look at him. All of these things combined made him more and more alone. But one thing that especially was a blow to the chest was in science class, where Mr.Dodge was being quite unreasonable.

              When Mr.Dodge talks about petrified wood forests near the Columbia River, and he makes a statement that it was amazing that wood could turn into rock. Arnold raises his hand for the first time and contradicts to his statement saying petrified wood isn't wood. When he says that, "[His] classmate stared at [him]. They couldn't believe that I was contradicting a teacher" (85). Everybody was thinking that the outsider Indian just told the most sensitive teacher he was wrong, and the glares that he got from his peers did not help his continuous feeling of loneliness. And along with that, he got on the bad side of a teacher you did not want to get on. After that "I shrank in my chair and remembered when I used to be a human being" (86). Arnold is losing hope, and he might second-guess his decision to get off the rez, but if he decides to come back to the rez and go to his old high school, he will be mutilated, so now he is on a one way bridge that is about to collapse into a pile of despair, and loneliness is bringing him down.

              What would you do if you were in Junior's shoes? Do you think Junior would have contradicted the teacher if he knew what Mr.Dodge and the class reaction would be? Why do you think Junior, who is shy and nervous and even scared at the new school, questions the teacher, and why now? How do you think Junior will act in classes after this "incident"?

Why is Junior hesitant to tell Rowdy? Why does he tell him? How does Rowdy react? Why does he react this way?

Junior is hesitant to tell Rowdy that he is transferring to Reardan for several reasons; the most important reason being that he does not know how Rowdy will react or how Rowdy will process this information.  Arnold fears telling Rowdy that he is switching schools because he thinks Rowdy might react badly because they have always gone to school together and he knows Rowdy will miss him and vice versa, but he also knows he has to tell Rowdy because Rowdy is his best friend.  Rowdy has been available for Arnold throughout his fourteen years of life and Arnold wants Rowdy to know that he would never hold back from telling anything to Rowdy.  Arnold wants to tell Rowdy how important this is to him; he is switching to Reardan because Arnold is desperate to leave the reservation so he can find hope (as he knows and has been told that there is no hope to be found on the reservation or by the people in the reservation).  Even though he is switching schools, Arnold knows that there is a powerful connection between Rowdy and himself, and he does not want loose that just because they would be in different schools.  Even though he wants to explain to Rowdy all the reasons for transferring to Reardan, instead of thinking through exactly what to say to Rowdy the next time Arnold sees him, Arnold blurts out, "I'm transferring to Reardan. I want you to come with me."  (p.49)  Unfortunately, Rowdy does not react very positively to this new information and he calls Arnold a "retard fag".  (p. 52)  At that moment, both Arnold and Rowdy knew that their friendship was over.  Arnold's "heart broke into fourteen pieces, one for each year" (p.52) that they had been friends.  Rowdy reacted this way because he was shocked and he never thought that Arnold would leave him or the reservation. Rowdy was surprised that Arnold had made this decision and he was not ready for them to be separated. Instead of being calm and listening to Arnold's explanation, Rowdy reacts badly and it costs him his friendship with Arnold.

Why is Junior hesitant to tell Rowdy? Why does he tell him? How does Rowdy react? Why does he react this way?

Why is Junior hesitant to tell Rowdy? Why does he tell him? How does Rowdy react? Why does he react this way?

Junior is hesitant to tell Rowdy because he is afraid of how Rowdy will react. He doesn't want to lose their friendship because he is transferring schools. Since Rowdy is also a tough and strong kid, Junior is afraid that Rowdy, his best friend, might try to fight him and Junior would lose. As many reasons as there are for not telling Rowdy, Junior only needs to think of one reason to convince him he has to tell Rowdy; Rowdy is his best friend. "I wanted to tell him that he was my best friend and I loved him like crazy, but boys didn't say such things to other boys, and nobody said such things to Rowdy (pg. 48-49)." Junior states this to show how much he cares about Rowdy. If Junior didn't tell Rowdy he was transferring schools, Rowdy would get even more mad and become more confused because he wouldn't know what had happened to his friend. Rowdy reacts very harshly to Junior. he punches him and doesn't want to be friends anymore. As Junior describes his pain on page 52, "It was pain, pure pain." Junior is hurt by what Rowdy does but he doesn't show much reaction as he lies on the ground after Rowdy punched him and walked away. Rowdy does have a reason to react this way though. Junior is Rowdy's only friend. "Your friend Rowdy, he's given up...You're the only good thing in his life. He doesn't want to give that up. It's the only thing he hasn't given up (pg. 42)." Mr. P was telling Junior that he is Rowdy's only hope left, the only thing that is still important to him. Rowdy reacted this way because Junior, his last strand of hope, is now gone.

Junior thinks he has "the king's respect", do you? Why? Do you think Junior has solved all of the problems he has encountered so far? Do you think Junior will try to change or lie in an attempt to fit in?

Interpret/explore/explain the context and the significance of the quote "I don't know if hope is white. But I do know that hope for me is like some mythical creature" (51).

               Hope for Arnold is like some mythical creature because it seems so out of the ordinary for him. When he asks his parents who has the most hope, his parents answer "White people...That's exactly what I thought they were going to say" (45). This shows that everyone, including him, knows that white people have hope. What Arnold is still trying to figure out is if hope is white. He knows that white people have hope but he doesn't know if they are the only ones who have it. Since he has grown up with mostly negative influences, he has to teach himself how to be hopeful since nobody will show him. That is why he compares hope for him to a mythical creature, because he isn't used to being  hopeful and it feels awkward for him to have hope. When Arnold is describing the Reardan kids, he thinks of them as "beautiful and smart and epic. They were filled with hope" (50). Since he is an outcast at his new school because he is the only Indian (besides the mascot), he has to adjust to his surroundings. Everyone around him is hopeful, except him. Arnold needs to get to know that mythical creature to fit in some.
               Do you think hope is white? If so why? If not why not? Why does Arnold think the Reardan kids are beautiful, smart, and epic? Why do Arnold and his parents think that white people have hope? What would lead them to thinking this? Stereo-types? If not what?

What advice did Mr. P give Arnold? Why does he give this advice?

           Mr. P tells Arnold to get off of the Reservation. Arnold is smart, and wants to do well in life, but he does not have the chance to apply himself because he is Indian. Arnold's sister, Mary, was also the smartest one in the school. In fact, she was smarter than Arnold is. She wanted to write books, romantic novels to be exact. She was really good but kept them a secret from everyone around her. Basically that's keeping her potential life secret from everyone because they would beat her up. That's why no one can become successful. Because they have to keep everything a secret. Mr. P taught her also and he wanted her to do well and she was but then she started to do worse, and worse as the years went on. He was mad because she had so much potential to do well in life, but the self-fulfilling prophecy of being Indian held her back. Mr. P worries the same thing will happen with Arnold. He could tell that he really cares about doing well in school and escaping from the reservation that holds him back of all opportunities. Mr. P knew that Arnold cared when he threw the 30 year old book at his face. Arnold wasn't sure at first if he should leave his family, his friend, and everyone else behind to basically start a new life, but when he asks his parents, he is confident that he wants to leave to go to Reardan school.

          At the end of the reading, Arnold's parents were completely fine with the fact that he wanted to change schools. "It was almost like they'd been waiting for me to ask them if I could go to Reardan, like they were psychics or something." (46). Why didn't his parents recommend a different, better school before? Analyze the last picture of the reading. What do you think it means?

What is Mr. P's advice to Junior? Why does he give this advice?

            When Mr. P comes to visit Junior after Junior hits him in the face with a book, Junior expects to be yelled at, or even hit in the face with another book. Mr. P does the last thing that Junior expects: he apologizes, because "'I can't apologize to everybody I hurt. But I can apologize to you.'"(35) After telling Junior stories about his sister, Mary, and all of the promise she had, Mr. P gives Junior a piece of advice: "'You have to leave the reservation.'" (42) Junior is surprised, but Mr. P has good reason behind it. When Mr. P was a younger teacher, he was taught to "kill the Indian to save the child," or make children "give up being Indian." (35) Mr. P has taken away the dreams of so many reservation children and now he wants to make up for all of that hurt. Mr. P is tired of being a bad guy or a bystander and he feels that he has seen too many talented children like Mary fade away into shells of their old selves without hope or any idea of what they are going to do next. Mr. P thinks that Junior is "a bright and shining star" just like his sister was and that he is "the smartest kid in the school." (40) He believes that Junior can succeed and he even says, "'I don't want you to fail. I don't want you to fade away. You deserve better." (40)

            How do you think Mr. P's advice affected Junior's decision to transfer to Reardan? Why do you think Junior decided to transfer to Reardan at that exact moment instead of waiting like his parents suggested? How do you think that Mr. P has affected Junior's life? What do you think Mary's life would be like in this story if Mr. P had given this advice to her?

               

What is “absolutely the saddest thing in the world”?  Explain why Junior says this and the implication.

               Junior is not accepted in the reservation's community and therefore resorts to his dog, Oscar for support. He calls it “absolutely the saddest thing in the world” since Oscar was the only living creature he could explain himself to, and his only way to express himself orally. Since his father and mother often abused alcohol, Junior felt like he could not be heard clearly by them and his concerns were shrugged off, but with Oscar, he was listened to, heard, and accepted. Though Oscar is a dog, and Junior's best living friend, it is explained on page five that words are "too unpredictable", and "too limited" he thinks that his and Oscar's actions are their best way of communication and understanding, and do not need to be explained. The fact that actions do not need to be explained make them a universal form of communication, which was important for Junior. Oscar was Junior's only escape and his thoughts were all channeled to his best friend and understanding companion, his dog. On page 14 when Oscar was shot, additional sadness followed, Junior felt hopeless since his family was stuck in the cycle of the poverty wheel. Since Oscar was where all of Juniors feelings were told, it was a greater impact of Junior when he was shot because there would be no companion as loyal as him. As well as having Oscar killed, Junior's parents would learn not to buy pets as they would cause grief and depression after death, but this would add to the sadness knowing that a replacement could not come because of financial issues, and that his closest friend would never come back.

               Why do you think it is important for Junior to communicate in a universal way? Do you think that the relation between Oscar being a mutt and Junior being an Indian is important? Why or Why not? Do you think that the relationship between Oscar and Junior was a one or two way relationship of support and affection?

Why does Junior say “it sucks to be poor…” (13)? What does “poverty teach you”? Explain.

              Junior says that it "Sucks to be poor" (13).  Junior has learned that living in a poverty stricken community  there is a long hard cycle of being poor. "It's an ugly circle and there's nothing you can do about it." (13) Junior is implying that once you are poor there is no way out and instead of trying to get out poor people just learn to accept their miserable lives. Junior also says that poor people start blaming themselves for being poor and that their stupidity and ugliness are the cause so there is no way to fix this. The people in his tribe now think there is nothing they can do about being poor except go with it. Junior also explains what poverty can teach a person, nothing. He says "Poverty doesn't give you strength or teach you lessons about perseverance ... poverty only teaches you how to be poor." (13) Junior feels as though there are no valuable lessons taught in poverty and no one discusses or attempts to work towards a better  more successful life.  

             One could argue that a person can get out of the circle of Poverty. Do you agree or disagree with this? Someone could also argue that poverty teaches Junior to be resourceful and make the little things like chicken count. What is your take on the two questions.

Why does Junior say "it sucks to be poor..." (13)? What does "poverty teach you"?

       It sucks to be poor because when someone you love gets sick you can't do anything about it. Junior's dog became sick in the hot weather. Their was nothing for him to do to save the dog. He had no money for a vet, no gas to drive a car to the vet, and no money for medicine to help him. All his family could do was relieve his suffering by shooting him with a bullet. Afterwards, he was depressed for a long time. "I thought about crawling into a hole" (15). Because of his poverty he lost a best friend and could do "nothing, nohting, nothing "(10) to save him.  
       Junior tells first hand about what poverty teaches you. He says that poverty only teaches you "how to be poor." (13) He feels an ugly circle where he feels he deserves to be poor because he is ugly and he is ugly because he is Indian and he is Indian because he is poor. "It's an ugly circle" (13). But poverty actually teaches people on how to be sad and desperation, two things that come from poverty. He hopes to escape poverty through art. But as junior said "We reservation Indians don't get to realize our dreams." (13). So he feels his only dream is to become rich or famous because of art but he doesn't believe anyone will pay any attention to it.
             Why do you think it is bad to be poor? Do you think poverty teaches you anything else? Do you think he should be this down on himself for being poor? Have you ever felt true sadness like Junior has?

Welcome...

Welcome...

Welcome to Mr. Rossiter's English blog. We will use this space to further our discussions outside of the classroom. This is also a place where every student will continue to work on writing. We will push ourselves to become thoughtful and concise with our written words. You will find this blog a wonderful resource as we study this classic novel. Also feel free to add images or movies that you want to share. Thanks.