Identity, Hope, and Struggle: A Close Reading of Alexie's Novel

Miranda Rodriguez

Mrs. Love Hilliard

Multicultural Lit & Film

28 April 2017

Everything All Together Inside the novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie you are constantly being slammed in the face with such depressing matters that are dealt within the book, if it’s not racism it’s death, which there’s a lot of death. Other than being slammed in the face with those things there’s also a lot of hope and dreams mentioned along the way that doesn't just involve the main character but those around him, lastly the main character also comes to realization and acceptance of his true identity towards the end of the novel. There’s a lot that goes on inside this novel and within the characters such as Arnold, Mary, and

“I mean, my sister had become a humanoid underground dweller. There wasn't much romance in that. Or maybe there was. Maybe my sister read romances all day. Maybe she was trapped in those romances. "I really thought she was going to be a writer," Mr. P said. "She kept writing in her book. And she kept working up the courage to show it to somebody. And then she just stopped."” (Alexie 23) The example was that Arnold’s parents never followed their dreams and his sister Mary followed in their footsteps by not chasing hers when she was very capable doing so. She chose to stay in the basement dreaming of her novels she wanted to write instead of actually writing them, Mary could have been a great writer but now no one will know because she never leaves the basement and dwells about her life now. Nobody realized Mary’s dream she had so to her she never had the chance to make it come true because only one person noticed but didn’t do much about it. And now that Arnold notices her dream to write he wishes people will notice and maybe she’ll get a chance to write her novel she dreams of creating. Mr.P makes Arnold realize what his dream really is and that’s for Arnold to leave the rez so he doesn’t end up like his family and the rest of the tribe, by them being stuck there and

“"No, I'm serious. I always knew you were going to leave. I always knew you were going to leave us behind and travel the world. I had this dream about you a few months ago. You were standing on the Great Wall of China. You looked happy. And I was happy for you."” (Alexie 117) Rowdy was mad at Arnold throughout the whole book for the fact that he left the rez to go to a all white school outside of the rez, Rowdy became Arnold's enemy then as soon as Arnold told Rowdy he decided to go to school there and Rowdy punched him and never spoke to him again unless Arnold sent him an e-mail. Then in the very end of the book Rowdy made amends with Arnold, telling him how he read an old indian book and how they used to be nomads, and it made him realize most indians aren’t nomads anymore only those that choose to leave, like Arnold, he mentioned how Arnold was a true nomad for leaving and chasing his dreams of getting out of the rez. That making Rowdy realizing how important Arnold’s choice in leaving the rez is to him and finally accepting Arnold following his