The Absolute Diary Of A Part-Time Indian

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How is identity depicted in Diary of a Part-Time Indian There a variety of themes that are discussed in the book The Absolute Diary of a Part-Time Indian. For example, you will see subjects like Mortality, Friendship, Race, Poverty, just to name a few. But, what I would claim to be the main theme of the book is Identity because of the struggle he faced while his transfer from Wellpinit to Reardan, his sister’s ways were being reflected on his life and trying to fit into Reardan while still being poor. The subject gets brought up by Arnold going through his life, not only as a poor Indian in the Reservation but as someone who takes his education seriously and that will do anything to get it. Even change the whole different school far away …show more content…

His biggest encounter with the issue of his identity and who he was, was when he transferred to Reardan. He was the only Indian in the school, and not only that but, faced hate when he would go back to the reservation. The moment his physical features really played a part in his identity issues was when people would call him an apple because he was red on the outside but white on the inside. “Traveling between Reardan and Wellpinit, between the little white town and the reservation, I always felt like the stranger.” (The Absolute Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Chapter 17, page 118). As previously stated, Arnold takes his education very seriously and would do anything to get where he wants to be. Unlike his sister Mary who, even though she was an extremely smart student according to Mr. P, she was a very strange and unpredictable person and people thought that he would something strange too. She was so strange that she decided to drop out of school and get married to a man …show more content…

Everybody at Reardan assumed we Spokanes made lots of money because we had a casino. But that casino, mismanaged and too far away from major highways, was a money-losing business. In order to make money from the casino, you had to work at the casino. And white people everywhere have always believed that the government just gives money to Indians. And since the kids and parents at Reardan thought I had a lot of money. I did nothing to change their minds. I figured it wouldn’t do me any good if they knew I was dirt poor.” (The Absolute Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Chapter 17, Page

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