Blog Post #12: Sherman Alexie's "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian"

First and foremost, I just have to say it was really awesome to read a novel set in the Inland Northwest. I have wanted to read Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian for so long, and I’m thankful this class provided me the opportunity to do so.

Summary:

 The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian depicts the tale of Arnold Spirit, Jr., a fourteen-year-old growing up on the Spokane Tribe Indian Reservation. In an effort to forge his own future, Arnold, leaves the reservation school, where he is teased and beaten on regular basis, to go to a High School in a near-by farm town, that is made up of all whites, and the only other Indian he comes across is the School Mascot. The book is loosely based on Sherman Alexie's own life. Scattered throughout are emotionally moving drawings, which Arnold uses to escape the “series of broken dams and floods” that plague his life. The drawings are his “tiny little lifeboats” that get him through the day. This is one of my favorite parts of the novel, and I have so many students in my placement classroom that I think would connect with this feeling. An outsider in both worlds, Arnold is able to sum up, through the perspective of a young adolescent, the difference between his culture as a Native American and the white people he is surrounded by: “I’m 14 years old, and I’ve been to 42 funerals…That’s really the biggest difference between Indians and White people”.

Obstacles:

We are all pretty aware of the fact that this book is one of the most frequently banned books of the 21^st century. In fact, a quick Google search took me to the ALA’s “Top ten frequently challenged

books list of the 21^st century,” and sure enough the novel was listed in the number one spot. As I read this book, I obviously noticed the offensive language, the sexually explicit passages, and the drugs/alcohol/smoking. Although I in no way support the banning of books, because it absolutely restricts everyone’s freedom to read, I can understand why some of these topics may cause concern for parents. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, even if it differs from mine, and all parents are simply attempting to be the best parent they can be for their child. But one of the reasons for banning that shocks me the most is “depictions of bullying.” What?!? This is such a real and massive issue that needs to be addressed and I think books provide students with an excellent way for students to work through and think about difficult topics such as bullying. Yes, this novel presents some controversial and difficult topics, but as with all banned books, censorship is not the answer.

Why/How I would use this in my classroom:

As I was researching ways to use Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian in the classroom, I came across one thing Sherman Alexie said he would want students to take away from this novel is “escaping and confronting familiar and tribal expectations.” I think this is something that all students can takeaway from this novel, because to some extent everyone is limited by the numerous expectations that are linked to culture, gender, race, age, and socioeconomic status. Ultimately, we must choose between accepting what others expect us to be, or fight against these forces that are holding us back, just as Arnold did.

I also stumbled upon the following essential questions from the Free Library of Philadelphia’s One Book program:

• What happens when a person leaves their home environment in pursuit of success? Do they give up or betray their identity? Is it really true that “you can never go home again”?
• What makes for a good high school experience? Do you have to be happy for your education to have been a good one? 
• How do we, as humans, overcome adversity? What tactics do we use to get through hard times, difficult situations, and general injustice?

(Retrieved from: http://libwww.freelibrary.org/onebook/obop11/0_Absolutely_True_Diary_Curriculum_full.pdf)


I think using a novel that allows students to explore these relevant issues is an absolute compliment to the classroom learning experience. If I were to use this novel in my classroom, as I hope I will, I would certainly center a unit on these essential questions. This novel is simply an engaging, easy read that would certainly appeal to reluctant or struggling readers. I also think this book is particularly important for students in this area to read because it provides an insight into the Spokane Tribe of Indians. Students must have access to books that connect to real world issues and that present them with inspiring individuals. The fact that the issues and individuals presented in Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian are local, makes the novel that much better.