How Old Is Junior A Hero

Arnold (a.k.a Junior) is the witty and colorful protagonist of Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part- Time Indian. The first thing Arnold refers to is that he is a hydrocephalic (1.1). However, instead of referring to his disorder as the name given to it by the doctors of the scientific world, he instead refers to it as “water on the brain” (1.1), immediately capturing the reader’s attentions. Junior’s actions, thoughts, and problems do relate to most of the readers of the book, Junior undergoes many problems that common youths face, which is enough to make him a hero to many. According to Merriam Webster’s dictionary, a hero is someone who is “a person who is greatly admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities.” Junior is not a hero because he performs actions out of the ordinary. Junior is ostracized, bullied and harmed due to his choice to go to a …show more content…
Junior is a hero because he does what he thinks is right and does those actions in order to better improve himself. Since the pioneers came to America, the Native American’s have been forced to change their religion, been subjected to ethnic cleansing and, to this day, Native Americans unemployment and poverty levels greatly exceed those of Hispanics, African- Americans and Whites. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian showcases these problems as well as any other resource, displaying the poverty and desperation of his ethnic group. As shown, many of the Indians have given up. Choosing to drink and wallow in their sadness and pity. Many have not gone to college due to not having funds or not having interest. Many don’t go because they think that they don’t