The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Well, now I can cross off The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie off of my list. I’ve been sitting at my keyboard for what seems like forever trying to figure out how to review this book. This story seems to have so many themes for just a short little book that I don’t even know where to begin. What do I want to focus on? Maybe this post will have no focus, just some ramblings. Stick with me.
Arnold Spirit lives on the Indian reservation in Washington where he’s a loser and outcast. He has no hope for his future. His grandparents were poor, his parents were poor, he’s dirt poor. He has no hope because nobody ever leaves the reservation. It seems as though everybody has accepted their fate that “white” people are the only ones allowed hope and they simply give up on life. But Arnold can’t accept this and soon after having the following conversation with a teacher decides he wants to transfer to a white school located off of the reservation:
“But not you,” Mr. P said. “You can’t give up. You won’t give up. You threw that book in my face because somewhere inside you refuse to give up.”
[ . . . ] “If you stay on this rez,” Mr. P said, “they’re going to kill you. I’m going to kill you. You can’t fight us forever [ . . . ] You kept your hope. And now you have to take your hope and go somewhere where other people have hope.”
I was staring to understand. He was a math teacher. I had to add my hope to somebody else’s hope. I had to multiply hope by hope.
“Where is Hope?” I asked. “Who has hope?”
“Son,” Mr. P said. “You’re going to find more and more hope the farther and farther you walk away from this sad, sad, sad reservation.”
So he finds himself betraying everybody he knows by transferring schools. The Indians don’t understand him and the whites don’t understand him. Arnold says:
Traveling between Reardan and Wellpinit, between the little white town and the reservation, I always felt like a stranger.
I was half Indian in one place and half white in the other.
This book is really funny. Arnold is a cartoonist and his dairy is filled with fun and quirky pictures. I’ve come to understand that Sherman Alexie (visit his website here) used many experiences from his own life and the book is semi-autobiographical. Sherman and his character, Arnold, both succeed in breaking away from their predetermined fate on the reservation. I was surprised at how many stereotypes there were in this book. If it weren’t for the fact that this book was written by a Native American, I would be appalled. But Alexie says for him, the experiences were real. I also could have done without the masturbation (oh my . . . two posts in a row where I talk about this).
After losing friends and family, Arnold begins to write “joy” lists to “try to find the little pieces of joy in my life.” My new friend, Tarie over at Into the Wardrobe listed her favorite “joy” items and I thought what a great idea. So Tarie, here they are!
My Joy List:
The smell of a freshly bathed baby
My husband coming home an hour earlier than expected from work
The first signs that spring is on the way
Watching my two little boys having a great time
Thai food!!!
Sleeping in and napping
Taking time out for just me
Reading
A good scalp massage (heavenly!)
Finding the time to actually shower during the day
Vacations to Hawaii
Spending time with my family
Feeling the sun on my back while working out in the garden
Fresh tomatoes straight from the garden
Garden zucchinis, steamed and buttered!
A sleeping child
Knowing that one day we WILL vacation in Thailand
First time my little boy called me Mama instead of Dada
Overall, a fun, cute, but thought provoking book with some crude humor. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie teaches us not to be limited by our circumstances. To reach out for more. To live up to our true potential. Don’t give up. Everybody deserves hope.
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Category: Book Reviews, Fiction, Young Adult
Tags: A-D Author, A-D Title, National Book Award, Newbery
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Part of me thinks I should add this book to my list because it sounds better than some I already have, another says I already have too many books and I should hold out for those with no reservations (crude humor). I guess I will just waffle on it for a while.
on March 1st, 2008 at 10:22 amFramed – It’s worth the read and it goes by quickly as well. I read it in just a day so at least you don’t have to commit tons of time to it.
on March 3rd, 2008 at 2:00 pmThe Joy list reminds me of Simple Abundance – it is always good to remember what makes us happy or what we are grateful for.
on April 27th, 2008 at 10:25 amI kind of want to read this, but I was disappointed by Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. Still, it’s been getting such good buzz.
on April 30th, 2008 at 1:29 pmI just wrote my review of this book… and I totally agree with you about not knowing what to say. I liked it, but it made me sad too… very conflicting! And there was so much going on in such a short book that I didn’t really know how to explain what I liked about it. So, I put together a very short review.
on December 13th, 2008 at 3:15 pmI linked to yours too! Thanks.
Heather – There are a lot of themes in this little book. I’m off to find yours . . .
on December 14th, 2008 at 9:15 pm[...] Natasha at Maw Books [...]
on December 16th, 2008 at 5:07 ambeing part indian, i found this book to be so funny. funny because it made me realize that at times all indians have is humor…what else is there to do sometimes but just accept things and laugh. i wasn’t raised on the rez but my dad was. i can’t wait to show him this book. i’d love to read it to him and just watch his reactions…tears, laughter, brutal honesty, and hopefully a hopeful smile. i thought the book was brilliant.
on January 11th, 2009 at 11:57 amthis book was rather disagreeable. it was a 6th grade writing style with the maturity level of an 8th grader. any body in their right mind would know that this book is a failure and the publisher should be defenestrated and ashamed of him or herself.
on September 19th, 2009 at 7:43 pmpity…
I think that the charm of the book came from the fact that it was written from a young teenage boy’s perspective. The writing was simple and direct and it made the book easy to relate to understand. If you look deeper into the themes of the book you find that there are very mature messages about identity and self discovery. I think the controversy around banning the book is ridiculous. The inappropriate parts are what adds to the honesty of the book. I think there is a lot of reality in this book and we should not be afraid of it, but instead embrace it and respect that it is so openly written about.
on November 2nd, 2009 at 7:59 pmI found this book hilarious, the way Sherman Alexie writes, is as if he is a young boy, made the book seem realistic. Alexie’s truthful writing created a novel but made it seem like a story that he will tell his son when he is old enough. I believe that this novel was hard to write for Alexie, since is was about his childhood, but the way he put himself out there, for the whole world to read of his journeys through out high school is really brave. It shows how Alexie doesn’t care what other people think, and how courageous he is to put himself out there, just like Junior does.
on November 2nd, 2009 at 8:24 pmJulian – I’m sorry you felt that way.
Grace – There aren’t a lot of books out there for teen boys so it’s great that this one is out there.
Imogene – I just saw Alexie speak in person and he was HILARIOUS. A stand-up comedian. So funny.
on November 4th, 2009 at 11:12 amThe Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is written in a style that can come off as crude and offensive to some. Although after comprehending and reading the story about Junior I can some what relate to the hardship he goes through. In life, we tend not to here the side of the “underdogs” or in this case the Native Americans. It might be a shock for us to see how they live so differently than an average white person but it is the truth. Yes, there might be more alcohol use, violence used in daily lives, and sexual references brought up by younger generations, but those are the negative facts that are commonly seen at Indian reservations. But what about the positive parts in the book? Sherman Alexie is an amazing writer who knows how to play with your mind. He isn’t afraid to put two contrasting emotions and have you feel both at the same time. This book has won many awards but as I read only the negative comments I question why has it won so many awards if people only are dwelling on the negatives? Maybe, it is because under all of the controversial topics, we can pick up the themes that aren’t always easy to hear but we find ways to relate to them. For instance, family and friends are always there for you even through times of change. The truth can show us that no matter how different we are, we are all the same in some way. And the truth should be told.
on November 4th, 2009 at 5:56 pmThe Absolutely True diary of a Part-Time Indianan is an award winning book because it includes many issues that teenagers today can relate to. This book should not be banned from schools because students need to read the truth and not just fictional books. In this book students can learn what is was like for Arnold, the protagonist to live on the Indian reservation and go to a all white school. Parents feel this book is controversial because of the sexual content. Sherman Alexie uses sexual content in his book humorously. He does this so students can laugh and become more interested by his book. More teenagers may be interested in this book because it has become controversial.
on November 8th, 2009 at 11:53 amAfter reading Absolutely True Diary, I find myself constantly relating my everyday life to the book. I think that the reason for this is that the story was from the perspective of a boy not much younger than myself. I recently wrote a paper on why this book should not be banned, and my main argument was the fact that because this book is geared toward teenagers, the profanities in the book are nothing new to us. There are only a few sections of the book that are mildly inappropriate, but I think that it adds to the reality and honesty of the book. I also think that Sherman Alexie’s book was downright hysterical, but in a very dry and subtle way. The lessons taught by Alexie through Junior are quite valuable to teenagers all around the world, and I think if the book was banned, they might not be taught in a very effective way.
on November 8th, 2009 at 9:58 pmI find that the Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is one of the most amazing books ever. I disagree with how it is being directed to a children’s audience, but I understand why he does so since the book itself is written in a children’s way. I love Alexie’s bluntness in his writing, and how he does not hide with metaphorical words what is true. Alexie shows many of the stereotypes that are portrayed in his everyday life, and it has given me an insight to my own life as being one of few Latinas going to a predominantly caucasian highschool. Although my experience is quiet difficult, it is not as complex and intense as Arnold’s since most of his experiences do not happen to me. I love this book very much, and I disagree with it being banned.
on November 11th, 2009 at 10:08 pmThe absolutely diary of a part time Indian
on November 13th, 2009 at 10:51 am