This book is the story of a boy and his struggle to succeed in life and overcome the obstacles he faces as a Native American Indian. On this journey, he finds himself torn between his Indian ways and the ways of his new middle-class white classmates. He finds himself a part-time Indian.
Growing up on an Indian Reservation created what Arnold (Junior) Spirit considered a boundary for his life. However, this boundary was something that Arnold wanted to break through. It took his teacher’s advice to give Arnold the courage necessary to make the next move in his journey of life. His choice to leave the reservation to attend a new school ends up costing him his best friend and possibly more.
Reading this book made me realize that all people are born into specific situations and if they want to alter the outcome of their life, they have to have the courage and determination to make it possible. Arnold chose to do something to improve his situation and his best friend Rowdy chose to be angry with him and not make any changes. This contrast between Arnold and Rowdy was used to show the difference between acting on your dreams and thinking you don’t deserve those dreams.
Additionally, the contrast between Arnold’s parents and Rowdy’s parents explains to the reader why they approach life so differently. With drinking being the major lifestyle on the reservation, it is not surprising that both boys have fathers who are alcoholics. However, Arnold’s parents still always kept him as a priority in their lives. Throughout the book, they continue to make sacrifices so that Arnold can attend the school he wants to despite the fact that they are poor. An example is when his father gave him his last few dollars (beer money) for lunch money, so he doesn’t have to receive the reduced lunches that he typically would have received at his reservation school. In contrast, Rowdy’s father abuses him regularly and doesn’t maintain a healthy relationship with his son.
This book absolutely represents the genre of contemporary realistic fiction. Alexie creates a realistic setting with realistic characters who are dealing with the adversities of life. Arnold faces social pressures, peer pressures, relationships, and loss throughout this book. He is constantly deciding how to approach each situation and the courage that he displays is phenomenal. The choices that Arnold is faced with are reflective of those of an average teenager. Examples of this include: switching schools even though it cost him his best friend, playing basketball against his reservation team and confronting the angry they had towards him, and admitting to his poverty even though he felt humiliated by this truth.
Alexie captures his characters perfectly through his use of dialogue. Arnold says what is on his mind exactly how he thinks it, which allows the reader to feel the emotion of a teen. A perfect example is his reaction to losing his sister with his initial concern being his physical reaction to hugging the guidance counselor. Additionally, that he dealt with the pain of this loss by laughing hysterically all the way home. At this point in the book, Arnold has already dealt with the death of his Grandmother and a close family friend; therefore, receiving the news of his sister’s death sends him overboard. Adolescent readers are able to totally relate to this emotion, even if they have never experience tragedy on the same level.
Lastly, the graphics throughout the book are an excellent way to capture and portray the frustration felt by a teenager. They enhance the story and create a feeling of comedy, which relieves the tension created by the constant drama that Arnold is experiencing. It allows the reader to be able to crawl inside the mind of Arnold and relate to him on all levels.
This book provides many meaningful lessons to a teenage reader. It allows them to realize that it takes courage to overcome the struggles and hardships of life. It also shows that the assumptions of adolescents aren’t always true. Arnold learns that in the face of adversity you will have people who support you. He is able to break through the stereotypes of people and provide proof that all people have a heart and will reveal it at the appropriate time. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and feel that an adolescent can learn many valuable life lessons from reading it.
