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?
As you know, the Indians are very segregated. This is proven when Junior says that his dad was stopped while driving. Junior called this incident DWI, Driving While Indian. I think that this experience made Junior's parents second guess sending their child to Reardan, as this racism might continue at the school. Since racism happens around the reservation, between Indians and Whites, the reservation has most likely grown to dislike the Whites of Reardan. If Junior had been sent to Reardan by his parents, his entire family would be disrespected for being "White Lovers." Do you think that Junior moving to Reardan for schooling will gain him even more disrespect on the reservation?
ReplyDeleteI think that Junior will be disrespected on the reservation because a large portion of his friends and family have also had the same experience as Junior's father. They will begin to think that he is just as bad as the officers that pull them over for "DWI".
DeleteYes, I agree with James, also for different reasons. I agree that they will be obnoxious about the white kids he is going to school with and their rich town, but there will be a deeper meaning to their taunting. The saddest part about the Rez is that they are all broken. Once, they were like Junior, young and full of dreams and goals, but now, they have nothing. Their dreams were crushed by their lack of education and poverty. They drink heavily in an attempt to hide their troubles from themselves. When they can't do that, they take it out on those who have a chance of making it out. Reardan's education will be Junior's way out. And that's why they will hate him. He has the chance they never had the guts to take.
DeleteI am seeing a familiar pattern. This story reminds me of the musical Fiddler on the Roof, when one of the daughters wants to marry a boy out of her religion and the oppression she faces. Also, in the book the Scarlet Letter, Hester is a similar martyr. Can you think of any others?
At the end if the reading, Arnold mentions that his fellow tribe members are going to torture him.(47) The picture depicts the ants- tribe members coming to attack him. the little bubble saying "hope?!?!" is basically stating that he is leaving to find hope yet others are torturing him for it which isn't very hopeful.
ReplyDeleteI think the 'ants' are just jealous, i mean juniors mom said that he was the first to leave like that. the others are just jealous that they arent brave enough to do the same.
I think Arnold's parents are giving him freedom and letting him take responsibility for his own life. they know that what they did in life obviously didnt get them to their goal in life so maybe what he wants to do will eventually get him to reach his goal and maybe even help others to achieve their goals too. They knew sooner or later he would try to find a way to get to where he wanted to be in life and maybe getting off the rez was exactly what he needed.