Monday, April 12, 2010
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
When Junior is in Reardan, he is "half Indian," and when he is in Wellpinit, he is "half white." "It was like being Indian was my job," he says, " but it was only a part time job. And it didn't pay well at all." Explain what Junior meant by these statements.
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I think Junior meant by that is that he is obviouslly an Indian but that shcool was not excactly a white school but wasn't really used to Indians. As Junior said, "I felt like the red sheep in a flock of white ones". He means that he doesn't really fit but he still wasn't going to give up!
ReplyDeleteJunior described being Indian as a job because it was almost holding him down. He couldn't associate with people at Reardan because he was Indian. He described the "circle of poverty" early in the book, and it seems like he wants to blame it on being Indian. Then Junior had to show that he was poor, and the kids at Reardan started treating him almost he was a baby.
ReplyDeleteI think that Junior describes it as being only a part time job because Junior was being a white when he's at school, and lives like he's not an Indian. Then when he's home, he's an Indian, but still white because of his day at school.
He doesn't think it pays well because all the People on the reserve despise him, and he lost his best friend Rowdy when he decided to go to Reardan.
0scar
Now that Junior is at Reardan all the indians are calling him an apple "red on the outside white on the inside." His tribe has lost respect for him while the only reason the people at reardan have respect is because of Penelope. That is why Junior said that.
ReplyDeleteJack
Why Arnold says all that is because life is a job. The race you have determines what your job is, is what he thinks. When he is with the indians, he is called out for going to rearden. When he is with the white people, he is called out for being born indian.
ReplyDelete@!Atticus@!