Sherman Alexie

Sherman Alexies novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, is a great light read. I really enjoyed this novel and recommend it for anyone who wants something light and good humored to read.  Junior is a perfect character to take you through he story and how he deals with it all. I really enjoyed this book, and aside from some of the swear words it could even be a book that maybe a ten year old could read.

5 Words

Hope
Death
Determination
Perseverance
Maturity

These are the five words that I would use to describe The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie. Junior is determines to find hope, so much so that he is willing to go to a new school where he will not fit in or be accepted. Junior also experienced more death than a fourteen year old should be objected to. Junior displays determination in everything he does, and preservers through all the trials and tribulations he has faced since he was born. And throughout the novel he matures by taking it upon himself to go to a new school twenty-two miles away, accept that his tribe will hate him for it, loosing the ones he loves, and taking on more responsibility than a normal fourteen year old could handle.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

We are reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie, in my English class and were discussing the themes. The main character Arnold/Junior moves from the school on his reservation, being the only thing he knew, to moving to an all white school twenty-two miles away. Junior is in pursuit of hope and believes he will find it at Reardan. Junior's determination to strive in an academic setting is inspiring to me. Why is it that we often find ourselves holding back because of societies out look what is expectable and what is not. We all conform and try not to break the mold that we have been set in our entire lives. Junior is fearless, on the outside, for making this decision, knowing for a fact that he will be hated on the reservation, and at Reardan. After a while he begins to become accepted at Reardan and has made new friends. After his grandmother's death, he stopped being harassed on the reservation but doesn't feel 100% normal. And unfortunately his best friend still hasn't forgiven him, believing that Junior left to hurt him, not to better Junior's outcome of life.

Tomorrow

After all..... Tomorrow is a new day.

This is an old saying, but is all too accurate. If you really think about it, it can solve the dilemma you may be struggling with today. You cannot walk around angry today because of something that happened yesterday. And, if something horrible happens today, tomorrow is a new day to start fresh and positive. Why would anyone want to be angry all day every day? My step dad always says "hate eats away at the container". And in all honesty, it does. Medical records have shown that those people with angry personalities are more susceptible to heart attach and heart disease.

You never know what can happen tomorrow, so why not start it with a smile on your face? Choose for the glass to be half full, and not half empty. I hope that by people seeing this post that they will remember this message and remind others as well. After all... Tomorrow is a new day.