The Theme Of Hope In 'The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part-Time Indian'

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Living in a place where nobody ever makes enough to do anything special with their lives really tests one's hope. In The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, an unlikely hero's courage is put to the test as he searches for s brighter future. Arnold's rising and falling hope can be seen through the comics he draws throughout the book. Some say you can get to know a person through what they draw better than through their words. This essay will explore how Arnold's comics show what he feels, and how his dream for a better future grows with him. Towards the beginning of the story, Arnold is faced with a tough decision. His teacher back at the reservation tells him to go to the white kid school, Reardan. Arnold has to choose between the familiar, or risk everything for an opportunity at the new school. Arnold draws a comic of himself at a crossroads, the run-down Rez at his back, an open field ahead of him. A sign labels the Rez as home, and the open field as hope. (43) This comic represents his struggle to decide which path to take. And it also shows that he'd like to go to Reardan, he just doesn't know exactly what's out there. It tests the hope for a better future that he, unlike the other kids in the Rez, has. …show more content…

Being the only Spokane kid, let alone the only one from the Rez, Arnold immediately gets bullied. Arnold's comic shows a tiny him surrounded by giant figures calling him names. (63) The comic shows just how odd he feels in the bunch. For a long time, he will struggle with fitting in and running two lives at once- the one he has back at home and the one at Reardan. Moving to a new school is scary for everyone, but it's especially scary when you're the only one from the Rez, getting bullied for where you're from each

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