The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Author:  Sherman Alexie, 2007, Little, Brown and Company

When you are an adolescent on an Indian reservation, born with fluid on the brain and wimpy in every way, you are an easy target for bullies.  That is exactly what Arnold Spirit (a.k.a. Junior) has faced all his life.  Junior is an Indian on the Spokane Indian Reservation.  He attends Wellpinit School, and if it wasn't for his best friend, Rowdy, Junior would have been decimated years earlier.  Rowdy is Junior's protector and shares a unique relationship with him.  In fact, the reader almost suspects some sort of "male crush" between Junior and Rowdy, but thankfully, that question is put to rest when Junior meets Penelope at Reardan High School.  After being told by one of his teachers at Wellpinit that he could do better, Junior breaks barriers by commuting (sometimes walking) to Reardan High School more than 20 miles away.  No Indian from the Spokane reservation has ever gone to school in the neighboring white community of Reardan, and because of his decision, Junior takes a lot of flack.  Throughout the story, the reader sees Junior's grit and determination as he carves his own path, leading away from his roots on the reservation, but also sadness due to excessive drinking and death.  This story aligns itself with what we know from studying history, but it gives a human voice to a real problem.

Honestly, I did not care much for the book.  I thought the language was crude and sometimes disgusting, and there was really no reason for that.  I believe the author could have told the story in a more informative and wholesome way.  From my perspective, the author attempted to be humorous, and I'll admit, I laughed on occasions; however, the majority of the story was not funny, and it was a lame attempt at humor.  The story basically reinforces every stereotype we have of Indians, including violence and alcoholism.  Instead of turning a blind eye to these truths as we so often try to do, this story forces us to understand exactly what the Native Americans face.  Overall, I am not sure that I would ever use this book as an instructional material.  In fact, I don't know what age group to whom I would recommend this book.  Students who find this book on the shelf will undoubtedly have questions, and that is where teachers can be of great assistance.