Sherman Alexie Should Not Be Banned In Schools

Growing up many kids were told consistently to read. That books were valuable and beneficial to education. However a woman by the name of Meghan Cox Gurdon challenged this idea by expressing her opinion in the article “Darkness Too Visible” (The Wall Street Journal). She spoke about many books including The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, about how the novels were too dark to be read in school by teenagers and that it wasn’t right for many to read such depicting descriptions of events. This is not true. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie should not be banned in schools because it is relatable, educational, and it brings attention to subjects that would otherwise not be spoken about.

First, the struggles that the main character, Junior, faces are very relatable.

Alexie discusses bullying, abuse and racism. Junior deals with bullying everyday in the novel. Racism is tied into that also. Many people at Junior’s new school bullied him because he was indian. He dealt with that not only there but everywhere outside of the reservation. Sherman Alexie wrote about the reason behind his books in his letter responding to Ms. Gurdon’s article, “now I write books for teenagers because I vividly remember what it felt like to be a teen facing everyday and epic dangers.” (Alexie, par. 27). He narrates these stories to relate to teenagers and their struggles.

However his stories also could provide teens with the opposite, giving them ideas that they didn’t previously had. If a teenager was depressed and read about another teen that was also depressed, who then committed suicide, it might cause them to think about commiting suicide. But at the same time “reading about homicide doesn’t turn a man into a murderer; reading about cheating on exams won’t make a kid break the honor code” (“Darkness Too Visible”, Par. 6). While the novel may give teenagers a new viewpoint on sensitive topics it also doesn’t “make” or force them to do

anything.

Second, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is educational to teens. It teaches them about the problems in the world and how to deal with them. Alexie gives a certain voice to the issues and helps the teenagers learn from them and try to apply it to their own lives. Alexie writes, “I write books for teenagers because I vividly remember what it felt like to be a teen facing everyday and epic dangers.” (“Why the Best Kids Books are Written in Blood” par. 27) He writes to teach them about his life and his mistakes, causing them do learn. This book creates a positive lesson for teenagers all around.

Third, Sherman Alexie’s writing brings attention to sensitive subjects. In his novel, he writes about things such as abuse, for example how Rowdy was physically abused by his father almost daily. The book also speaks about racism at Juniors new school. Junior was the only indian at the school which caused people to point out his skin tone, his nose, and his speech.

Many novels are read throughout the lifetime of a human. Lots of those may just be left as a memory, you may never think about them again. However, reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, changes the viewpoints and knowledge of many things. The novel should not be banned in schools because its is easy to relate to, teaches teenagers about life, and it is providing the world with a different outlook on the world. The world needs more people to step up and be willing to learn more about these harsh subjects such as bullying, abuse, and racism, this can happen if you stand up, and take action. In school and in your community, give kindness a try.