Themes In 'The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part Time Indian'

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What drives people to work hard? Where does determination come from? What causes us to want to make something of our lives? These questions are answered through two prominent themes that run through this book. In reading Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian, the character of Junior helps explore these questions through the power of expectations and hope. These themes give people drive, determination, and passion for their lives. When one or both of these important elements are taken away, that determination, passion, and drive goes with it. Expectations, or the lack of, play a big part in many Native American’s lives through this book. The book illustrates how important setting high expectations on all people …show more content…

The theme of expectations and hope go hand in hand. Hope is another important element that sparks determination and drive. Hope is a feeling that overpowers all other feelings. No matter how tough life gets or situations become, all that is needed is a tiny amount of hope. As long as there is hope, these is motivation to keep trying and to keep pushing through. Once that hope is lost and people feel like there is no chance that they will succeed, they stop trying. This idea and theme of hope, or the lack of, is very prominent throughout the book. Junior, throughout the book, shows us how many Native Americans have lost hope. The driving force that keeps people pushing forward has gone out in many of these people. Junior shows the devastating effects of the loss of hope that exists in this community when Mr. P says “You're going to find more and more hope the farther and farther you walk away from the sad, sad, sad reservation” (43). This quote encompasses all of the devastating results that can be seen among reservation Indians. As the book shows, this lack of hope results in the poverty and substance abuse issues. When Junior says “But we reservation Indians don't get to realize our dreams. We don't get those chances. Or choices. We're just poor. That's all we are.” (13), he shows how there is no hope left on the reservation. People on the reservation feel like they don’t have the opportunities to thrive and make their

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