Reading Response-The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

           Many people don’t notice the huge line between white and not-white, privileged and not-privileged. Many people decide to ignore this line, and instead choose to pretend that everything is fine. By doing this, they are effectively turning their backs on our country’s history, where racism brought out the worst of America. Sherman Alexie’s book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, tells the story of Junior, and how he was able to straddle this line. Junior and his family live on the Spokane Indian Reservation (aka the “rez”) where a small community of Native Americans live and struggle to get by. Tired of all the hopelessness on the rez, Junior leaves it behind when he becomes the only Indian in the white school of Reardan, 20 miles away from the reservation. Junior knows that he has to cross boundaries and make sacrifices in order to have more options in his future.

            When he decided to go to a white high school, Junior sacrificed his relationship with his best friend Rowdy. “…Rowdy and I have spent around 40,880 hours in each other’s company. Nobody else comes close to that. Trust me. Rowdy and I are inseparable” (24). However, when Junior breaks the news to him that he is going to be leaving the rez Rowdy does not take it well. Rowdy, the only kid on the rez who hadn’t bullied or beat up Junior, the only kid who protected him, punched him in the face and left him on the ground. “I stupidly hoped that time would stand still if I stayed still. But I had to stand eventually, and when I did, I knew that my best friend had become my worst enemy” (53). This hurt Junior more than any time he had been slapped or kicked or punched. It was probably the greatest sacrifice that he made. Rowdy’s reaction was so strong because, like so many of the other members of the reservation, he had already given up hope long ago. Junior was like a beacon for Rowdy because he was the only one left on the rez who had not given up. That meant that Junior still had a fighting chance whereas Rowdy did not. But when Junior stopped going to school on the rez and Rowdy turned his back on him, Rowdy lost any bit of hope and strength that Junior was able to give him.

            Another thing that Junior sacrificed was his tribe’s respect for him. “…some Indians think you have to act white to make your life better. Some Indians think you become white if you try to make your life better, if you become successful” (131). A lot of people call him an apple—red (Indian) on the outside and white on the inside. It hurts a lot to be cast out of your community, and being called an apple is basically being called a traitor to your race. When he returns home from school every day there is always someone waiting to call him names or pick a fight. What they don’t realize is that trying out new experiences is hard for him, too, and he struggles with it all the time, especially when his school basketball team plays the reservation’s team and he goes up against highschoolers from his tribe. He feels lost because he doesn’t know where he belongs.

            Leaving the rez also meant that Junior had to sacrifice being part of that tight-knit community. He no longer had a place where he was completely accepted. It is almost as if he is being torn in two. One side is Indian (home, family, loyalty to his tribe, hopelessness,) and the other is white (future, options, career, hope, sacrifices). But, Leaving the community means that he is no longer tied down and he can expand his options. “I realized that, sure, I was a Spokane Indian. I belonged to that tribe. But I also belonged to the tribe of American immigrants. And to the tribe of basketball players. And to the tribe of book worms” (217). While he may miss having a place that he could truly call home, Junior did what was best for him in the long run, and by moving on from the rez he created openings that he never would have had if he had stayed. He went from being hopelessly resigned to his fate to hopefully looking forward to the future, and although it is scary to leave the place that one calls home, it means that there are many more open doors.

            Junior did the right thing when he made the decision to leave the reservation. Although he had to make many sacrifices, he will benefit from it in the long run. Junior had to face the struggle of being an individual but still part of his community and I think that he will be a stronger person because of it. Although it took a huge amount confidence and determination to cross the racial boundaries, Junior managed to do it which means that he will have broader options in his future. Junior’s experience can teach the reader that while crossing barriers (whether it is a racial barrier or another kind) can be challenging and take many sacrifices, it is worth it in the end.