The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time in Indian, a novel by Sherman Alexie, focuses on the experiences of a young American-Indian boy, Junior, who is known as Arnold Spirit (Jr.) off the reservation. His diary covers a life-changing school year, during which Junior takes a chance and chooses to attend an all-white high school off of the reservation - a choice met with mixed reactions from his family and friends. Throughout this diary of a teenage boy, readers are able to travel along with Junior as he leaves his reservation school behind and joins the all-white school twenty miles away, as he learns to embrace his heritage and to take control of his life.Junior lives on the Spokane Indian reservation. On the Spokane Indian reservation, many live a life of poverty and alcoholism, and are heir to a life where all hopes and dreams have been taken away from them. Many of the children within the tribe live with parents who are abusive when drunk, and these children are not encouraged to do their best in school or in life. Fortunately for Junior however, he has two very supportive parents and a wise grandmother who supports his decisions, whether they are wise or not. With this encouragement, he is able to improve his own life and even, perhaps, to inspire some of his peers to do the same.

"I was born with water on the brain.

Okay, so that's not exactly true. I was actually born with too much cerebral spinal fluid inside my skull. But cerebral spinal fluid is just the doctors' fancy way of saying brain grease. And brain grease works inside the lobes like car grease works inside an engine. It keeps things running smooth and fast. But weirdo me, I was born with too much grease inside my skull, and it got all thick and muddy and disgusting, and it only mucked up the works. My thinking and breathing and living engine slowed down and flooded." (Alexie, 1)

With these lines, Alexie introduces us to the voice of Junior. Perhaps, he began with the "water on the brain" simply because it sets Junior apart as different, or perhaps it is more symbolic. Perhaps, in this funny description of "brain grease," Alexie is describing not only Junior's disadvantage, but also the disadvantaged starting position of Junior's ...