Blog Number Five

In the book of The Diary of a Part-Time Indian, we meet Arnold, he is stuck between two worlds. He wants to find hope, but in order to do that, he transfers schools. From Wellpinit (reservation school) to  Reardan ("white school"). He leaves the rez and his only best friend, Rowdy. Arnold tries to get him to come with him, but Rowdy refuses and punches Arnold. Through everything, Rowdy was the one protecting Arnold from fights, and Arnold lost him. He gets to his new school and is lonely, gets picked on for being Indian, and he has a crush on a girl who is out of his league. His family is very poor, so no they use all the money they can to make Arnold look middle class. Then he tries out for the basketball team, its a good things, but he has to play against his old school, and his old best friend. Lastly, Arnold thinks that once he moved schools, not houses, that he has put a curse on his family and friends, because through one week, he lost any important people.

The way I see this book, is that it will be my favorite book. Im not the type of person to really read so much, but I found this book really interesting that I read through it fast. If I wasn't so busy, I probably would have finished the book quicker. When I read the part about his parents trying to make Arnold look middle class, I thought it was so amazing because his father is a drunk, and the thought of him not buying liquor, and using that money for Arnold was so thoughtful. Even though he still and to walk to school and home or even hitch a ride, its not like anyone knew. It seemed very depressing, can you imagine walking more then a mile just to get to a school where people didn't accept you? And if you lost more then two people in one week, do you think you would have had the energy to continue doing that? My favorite part of the book, is the ending, because it shows that not every book will have the happiest ending, it was accurate. I do recommend anyone to read this book, I know it might sound cheesy, but it was a 10/10 kind of book.

Blog Number Four

In my book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, we meet a American Indian who lives in a reservation, Junior. He knows that his family is poor, so everyday he hopes to get food. At the same time he says its okay because when they get food, he says it tastes better. He has this white best friend named Rowdy, he claims they have been friends since birth. Then one day at the school, he opens up a book, he sees that his own mother wrote the history book. He becomes angry because he knows that the school is so poor that they cannot afford real books. Junior then becomes very mad, all he wanted to do was hit something, instead he accidentally threw the book at his teachers face, and broke his nose. Mr. P, conferences with Junior, he discusses how he deserved it.

In my book, there is a conflict, Man vs. Self. In the book, Mr. P tells Junior that he needs to get out of the rez, because even Mr. P is tired of trying to get rid of Indians, that he should follow his dreams. Now Junior, he is stuck between leaving his best friend Rowdy and starting a "better life" or staying in the rez where Rowdy protects him from other white people. Junior draws a picture of his house, with two arrows pointed to it, one saying "Rez" and the other saying "Home" then on the other side of the pole he writes "Hope" and "???". If he moves, he knows it will be expensive, but he also knows if he leaves, the Indians will be angry with him if they ever come back. His mother tells him "You'll be the first one to ever leave the rez this way, the Indians around here are going to be angry with you." This proves that it will be hard for him to just transfer school, he stuck between being with people who accept him with not enough education or with people who treat him like a nobody and have little more education.

American Indian Analysis

American Indians were marginalized from society because white people were killing them. They didn't kill them physically, but the white people were trying to get rid of their culture. White people tried turning these American Indians into Whites, as in, the way they dressed, acted, and spoke To be taught not to be like your family, to even separate you, you didn't know how to live like them, you become different. In the text it says, "'Kill the Indian, save the man,' was Pratt saying." This proves that the captain would want these American Indians to change for the "better", but it wasn't better, it was only different. It also says "Along with his new name came a new look. His long hair was cut short. His leggings and moccasins were taken away, replaced by an itchy wool uniform and black leather boots." With this text, white people took away the American Indians tradition. Its killed who they were on the inside by taking away what they had on the outside.

The purpose of Shanice Britton writing this essay was to inform everyone, that American Indians are no different. In the text it says "We live in houses with electricity and running water. I take showers, watch Finding Carter on MTV, and wear jeans, just like any other teen." They way she explains how she lives is just like us, just like us because, "There are paved roads and a small grocery store, a gas station, and restaurants." American Indians aren't always people who wear feathers, wear moccasins, and leggings, but when that does happen its mostly at the ceremonies. The clothing they wear at the ceremonies, the music that plays, and the songs they sing, its just like how they remind themselves of their own traditions that were passed on. But sadly, some things that have died out because of the white people, one was: language, because not even Shanice learned it. Even though she tries to, it will still take her awhile because she learns at the ceremonies.