The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

I just finished reading the first fifty-five pages of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. I’m still not sure how to process what I just read. It was easy to comprehend and understand and rather enjoyable, but I have not read enough to figure out why this story was assigned.

The protagonist in the story is Junior. He is a fourteen-year old boy who one would not categorize as ‘normal’. But who sets the standards for our norm? He is a poor-Indian living on a reservation where everyone seems to give-up. They give-up on having a better life. They give-up on the people who surround them. They give-up on furthering their education. But most importantly, they give-up on hope. The Indians are clearly never going to get out of poverty but Junior is determined to change that.

Junior’s best friend was a fourteen-year old boy named Rowdy. His parents are both drunk and his dad gets angry when he is intoxicated. When his dad gets angry, Rowdy gets beaten. So, Rowdy and Junior spend a lot of their days together. Since Junior is developmentally challenged, Rowdy protects him from bullies.

Mr. P, Junior’s math teacher, encourages him to hold onto his hope. Therefore, Junior is resolute on going to a better school and making something of himself, unlike his deadbeat sister and everyone else that is close to him. The day before his first day of his new school, Junior tells Rowdy of his decision. Rowdy cannot accept this and he therefore gives up hope on his best and only friend.