The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part-Time Indian By Sherman Alexie

Pursuing one’s dream, adjusting to change and gaining confidence is all about life, but in order to achieve those goals, you need to understand how to accomplish them. Sherman Alexie, author of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is about a boy named Junior who transfers schools, but can not identify his role until he meets Penelope, and gets advice and motivation from his grandmother and sister. In the beginning of the novel, Junior has very little confidence, but as the novel progresses,his conviction grows larger and larger. Next, Junior feels the urge to chase his life goals because he learns that staying still will not lead him anywhere. Finally, after living on the reservation for all his life, Junior learns to adjust to

After Mary flees the reservation and goes to Montana with her husband, he is motivated to follow his dreams because he knows it is not impossible. “They thought my sister and I were going absolutely crazy. But I thought we were being warriors, you know? And a warrior isn’t afraid of confrontation.” (Alexie 91). Junior feels inspired after his sister moved to Montana, which makes him want to pursue his own dreams. He knows that if he does not go after his ambitions, he will have a small future. Furthermore, Junior dreams about what he wants his future to look like because he is nomadic and wants to travel. After talking with Penelope, Junior says “We were supposed to be happy with our limitations. But there was no way Penelope and I were going to sit still. Nope, we both wanted to fly” (Alexie 112). Indian boys and white girls from small towns never dream big, but Junior and Penelope are the complete opposite. They both share the same passion and can connect to one another to share their feelings about their future. Therefore, it is clear that Junior learns to pursue his dreams with the help of Mary and Penelope, and because he makes this decision, it greatly benefits him in reality and for the

It is never easy to move to a new school and suddenly create friendships, but Junior creates great relationships with Penelope who helps him adjust to Reardan and make new friends: “Over the next few weeks, Penelope and I became the hot item at Reardan High School. Well, okay, we’re not exactly a romantic couple. We’re more like friends with potential. But that’s still cool” (Alexie 109). When Junior transfers to Reardan, he is treated differently because of his ethnicity, until Penelope takes him in as a friend. Her friendship is Junior’s ticket to social acceptance at Reardan, and therefore it ends his previous loneliness. Junior also turns to his grandma for advice after he punches Roger, because she has experience and know how to solve problems like Junior’s: “Yeah, but you punched the alpha dog in the face she said. They’re going to respect you now” (Alexie 70). On the reservation, if anyone insults someone, there is an immediate expectation of retaliation. Junior believes the same rules apply at Reardan, but grandma teaches him new places equal new rules. In conclusion, Grandma Spirit and Penelope help Junior understand how to fit in at his new school, which is essential to his development as a confident