Themes: Identity
The question of identity is extremely important in the book, with its title including the phrase “part-time Indian.” The phrase indicates Junior’s conflict between his identity as a Spokane Indian on the reservation and as a student in a white-dominated school. The conflict arises because the two identities have a complex relationship with each other. Further, Junior also feels torn between his identity as an individualistic person interested in art and the pressure to adopt a tough-guy persona. He considers himself an outsider even within the reservation because of his physical condition. Thus, Junior navigates several issues around his identity.
As a Spokane Indian on a reservation (rez), cultural and racial identity preoccupies Junior greatly. He is aware of the great historical injustices meted out to Indigenous people by white people, yet he knows he lives in a majority-white country. While other people like Rowdy believe Indigenous people should confine themselves to the reservation in order to resist white culture, Junior wants to venture out to explore different opportunities. This casts him as a traitor and an “apple,” as he tells Gordy: someone who is “red on the outside and white on the inside.” Leaving the rez school alienates Junior from Rowdy as well. However, when he enters the world of Reardan, he experiences another question of identity. Symbols of racism are all around him: the school’s mascot is a stereotyped image of an Indigenous man, and students call him racist epithets. Further, his nickname, “Junior,” draws sniggers, and the revelation that his real name is Arnold Spirit makes his classmates think he is lying. They simply do not understand the tradition of nicknames that is common on the rez. Junior is torn between his Junior persona and his Arnold persona.
Although Junior is aware that many problems on the reservation—such as poverty and alcoholism—are a direct result of Indigenous people being dispossessed and subjugated, he does tend to look down upon life on the rez. As the narrative progresses, Junior begins to see the vast gulf between opportunities available to his white classmates and his Indigenous friends. While the former are all set for an expensive college education, his Indigenous friends study from decades-old textbooks. At the beginning of the novel, Junior believes that white culture represents hope. However, at the end he realizes that there is great hope, too, in the Indigenous way of dealing with life with humor and celebration. The lack of hope is not an intrinsic function of rez life, but something imposed upon it by racism and lack of opportunities.
Junior now begins to see that the reservation is beautiful. At the same time, he has the epiphany that no person belongs to just one tribe. Every person has multiple identities. The identities do not always need to overlap or fit with each other, and one shouldn’t be ashamed of their affiliations. As his friend Gordy tells him, “life is a constant struggle between being an individual and being a member of the community.” Junior learns to balance his individuality and his various communities.
Expert Q&A
What does Gordy mean by "Life is a constant struggle between being an individual and a member of the community" in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian? Is this true for Junior and Gordy?
Gordy's statement means that balancing individuality with community membership is a constant struggle. This is true for both Junior and Gordy in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Gordy, marginalized for his intellectual pursuits, faces this conflict at Reardan High School. Junior, a Native American attending a white school, also struggles with this balance, facing extreme challenges from both his reservation community and his new school environment.
What steps does Junior take to fit in at his new school? Are they successful?
Junior takes several steps to fit in at his new school, Reardan. Initially, he reacts to racism by punching Roger, a jock, which surprisingly earns him respect. He also lies about his life to avoid embarrassment over his family's poverty, such as pretending to afford a meal he can't. These actions gradually help him integrate, as he learns that stereotypes are often inaccurate. Ultimately, Junior succeeds in balancing his identity while fitting in at Reardan.
What does Junior think of Penelope's dreams in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and how do their dreams compare?
Junior identifies with Penelope's dreams of "building something beautiful" and escaping limitations, similar to his own desire to leave the Rez. He empathizes with her struggles, like bulimia, as he does with his father's alcoholism, recognizing how present challenges can hinder dreams. However, Junior idolizes Penelope, which complicates his understanding of her dreams, partly due to racial dynamics and differing views on their environments, making it difficult for him to fully envision her dreams coming true.
Why does the community get upset when Junior decides to change schools?
The community is upset when Junior decides to change schools because his decision challenges their norms and fears. His choice to attend a white school represents a break from tradition and suggests he might think he's better than others on the reservation. This causes feelings of betrayal and insecurity, as it highlights the community's belief that success is only for white people. Junior's move is seen as a threat to their identity and an acknowledgment of their limitations.
What does Junior's statement about the 'White doctor' imply and what larger issue does it address?
Junior's statement about the "White doctor" implies systemic racism and inadequate healthcare for Native Americans. The doctor used only half the Novocain on Junior due to a racist belief that "Indians only feel half as much pain," leading to a painful dental procedure. This highlights two larger issues: the inadequate funding for healthcare on reservations and the racist perceptions that dehumanize Native Americans, illustrating broader societal inequalities and discrimination.
What does Arnold's "part-time Indian" status mean in the story?
Arnold's "part-time Indian" status in Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian reflects his struggle with identity as he attends a predominantly white school away from his reservation. This dual existence highlights his feeling of not fully belonging to either world, as he seeks better opportunities amidst poverty and limited resources on the reservation. Arnold's experience mirrors the real-life challenges faced by many Native Americans balancing cultural identity and socioeconomic advancement.
Why does Junior refer to himself as a part-time Indian?
Junior calls himself a part-time Indian because he does not feel fully white or fully Indian. He is rejected by people on the reservation for his choice to go to the all-white school, and he is rejected by his white classmates at school because of his Indigenous identity. This makes him always feel like a stranger because he is considered half-Indian in one place and half-white in the other.
How did stereotypes about Junior at Reardan affect him, particularly at the formal dance?
How does confusion over Junior's name in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian reflect his cultural change?
Confusion over Junior's name highlights his cultural transition from the reservation to a predominantly white school. On the reservation, being called "Junior" is common and unremarkable, but at Reardan, it isolates him and causes misunderstandings, as seen when Penelope thinks he's lying about his name. This reflects the broader cultural shifts Junior faces, illustrating how norms and identities vary between his Native American community and the wider, unfamiliar society.
In The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, how does Junior's understanding of addiction surpass boundaries of ethnicity and class?
"There are all kinds of addicts, I guess. We all have pain. And we all look for ways to make the pain go away."
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