The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian The novel “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” written by Sherman Alexie is an inspiration to the younger generation. The novel targeted young adults when Alexie was writing it; however, she has got a positive response from many people. The fans of the book include students both teens and pre-teens who wrote letters to Alexie expressing the love they have towards the book. It was a surprise to Alexie when she received autobiographical letters written in crayon from young adults (Alexie, page 7).
The positive response from the children is the evidence that the book is appropriate for the young adult despite the critics many people present. There are many reasons why the book is suitable for young adults. In my opinion, the book addresses the immediate issues facing the people. The books address the issues of domestic violence, drug abuse, racism, poverty, sexuality, and murder (Alexie, page 7). I tend to agree with the manner the book present the issue, such that some of the readers confesses that the YA book is the only novel they have ever read in its entirety.
Alexie writes a relevant story due to her past. The main character, Arnold undergoes a poverty-stricken, sexually abused, self-hating childhood as a Native American teenager (Alexie, page 8). Most readers agree that Alexie displays clearly the hardship Arnold suffers, relating the book to how they could save themselves. However, Arnold has a double life, because of the hopes and dreams he had while he was at the Reardan High, where he was the only Indian among the whites. There are reasons to believe that Alexie brilliantly brings out the importance of hopes and dreams in the novel.
The reasons are clear in the way Arnold shares his thoughts throughout the book. The first chapter, he hopes to be a cartoon artist as he believed the artist career would help him escape the cycle of poverty and abuse as he would be rich quickly. The theme is displayed throughout the book, making the readers inspired to follow their dreams and hope. Arnold was a target of bullying because of his physical appearance as well as his medical history. I find the book revealing the information in a sympathetic way such that it invites the young audience to share and relate to his experiences.
Arnold also neglected even after he transferred to the Reardan High school due to his Native American origin while the school was purely white. I tend to believe that segregation and bullying in the book being appropriate for the young adults since it teaches them the importance of loving and uniting despite their background. Most scholars have faith that the unity and love will lower cases of bullying in schools. Nevertheless, Arnold was a subject of violence as displayed in the novel.
He undergoes regular beating by family members of the reservation since ferocity was a method of communication in the reservation. Through Arnold, am certain young adults can learn how to deal with the threat as he used drawings and light hearted approach towards his problems. The method becomes a lesson to the young people to choose suitable methods to deal with violence they face now or in the future. It is evident that the novel displays the importance of embracing people’s cultural and racial background. Arnold was able to establish the friendship with many White Reardan students, despite being an Indian.
The acceptance and bond between him and his colleagues enabled him to bring out his caring nature, intelligence and his basketball skills. Some of us believe that young adults learn from the instance the right of looking past the racial segregation for mutual developments. Most readers agree that Alexie brings the alcohol abuse issue vividly in the novel. She portrays well how alcoholism is a painful thorn in the Native American society. Alcoholism is directly responsible for the passing on of some characters in the book and the deaths of most of the native Indians on the reservations.
The novel b out the caustic nature of the alcohol abuse. Additionally, the book points out the contribution of alcohol to low development rates at the reservation as well as bad family relations. The issue can be vividly be shown from Sherman, as he displays his desire to address alcoholism only to be put off by his experiences with alcohol in the reservation. It is clear through the novel, therefore, discourages the young people from excessive alcohol taking as it shows the adverse effects in the society in general.
Lastly, in my opinion the story brings out the importance of friendship in the life of a person. The friendship between Arnold and Rowdy is the point of revolution in the book. Arnold indicates that Rowdy is one of the most important people in his life even more than his family. He finds solace in Rowdy as his father is distant, and his mother is eccentric. The novel also shows how the friends Anthony makes in Reardan High School plays a significant role in the success in his school life.
I settle with the idea young adults can relate to the novel in establishing a long term friendship with their peers that would significantly lead to a mutual development of themselves. Alexie apparently uses her arguments in the novel, “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” to benefit the society in general despite the book being recommended for young adults. He uses the controversial topics of alcohol, poverty, bullying, and violence to argue her points as well as educating the young adults and students on how to deal with the issues.
