Sherman Alexie’s Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, tells a coming-of-age story about a Spokane Indian boy named Arnold. The duality of Arnold’s identity is revealed by his dual name: Arnold/Junior. Referred to by his Indian half as ‘Junior’ and by his white half as ‘Arnold,’ we see a split in his identity, and a tug of war ensues between Junior’s culture, and Arnold’s future.
Although Junior was never accepted on the rez, it was his home, and that home rejected him when he moved on. After Arnold started at a new school, he still found his poverty and culture inescapable, but managed to assimilate into his new surroundings; in doing this, Arnold left a part of himself (Junior) behind. As Arnold relishes in his freedom from being off the rez, and takes pride and joy in his newfound popularity at a white school, Junior remembers his family and his best friend that he isn’t as close to after changing schools. There is a great rift in Arnold/Junior’s life, and the distance becomes harder to bridge as his story progresses. At first, Arnold feels shameful for his Indian side, needing to pretend not to be poor, and eventually having to borrow money from another student to impress his girlfriend Penelope. Because of this shame, Junior hides inside, and lets his background be filtered out to form a more desirable picture. Part-time Indian describes Arnold/Junior’s identity, and his existence.
When Junior left the rez, he left his tribe. Arnold left his tribe. In doing so, Arnold was able to move past the horrors of the rez briefly, and was able to flourish somewhere that wasn’t shrouded with mutual depression. Arnold doesn’t realize until later on, that he is part of that tribe, and part of many others. After Arnold win’s the rematch basketball game against Wellpinit, he cheers feeling like David conquering Goliath. Shortly after, Junior realizes that he, and his team, were Goliath, and they were stomping on David. This is when Junior recognizes that he is now playing the part of Indian part-time, and playing white part-time, but belongs to neither group. After the tragic death of his grandmother, and sister, Junior realizes that he is a member of the tribe, and many others: “the tribe of basketball players, and to the tribe of bookworms. And to the tribe of cartoonists. And to the tribe of chronic masturbators. And to the tribe of teenage boys. And to the tribe of small-town kids…” and he realizes that he belongs (217). Through Arnold’s journey, he starts as an outcast, becomes a deserter, becomes even more of an outcast, becomes unknown, becomes accepted, becomes triumphant, becomes shameful, and eventually becomes a member of his tribe.
Junior struggles as he reaches for his dream, becoming Arnold, becoming Junior, becoming an Indian and becoming a person. Through leaving the rez he learns about the horrors of the world off the rez, and the sadness and enclosed nature back home. He grows into existence through sadness and hardship and loss, and becomes part of the group that once rejected him. Junior lives as an Indian on the rez, and Arnold lives as an Indian off the rez. Through all the chaos, Arnold/Junior finds himself, and accepts his identity as a part-time Indian.
By Leemur
