Native Americans and the American Dream America's traditional definition of being an American in today's world forgets and misplaces the minorities that raised America from the ground up with their labor and hard efforts throughout their lives. As explained in Ronald Takaki's novel, A Different Mirror, he defines that the minorities who contributed to America's rising as a nation have been left out of the "Master Narrative," which has been known for years as the explanation of the American History (Takaki 5). In this "different mirror", Takaki shows that without the other histories that have been left out of the Master Narrative, there are significant missing pieces that make America what it is today and in recent years this narrative has
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In the reservation, Junior presents that their views of hope is almost none since they feel that they have been disconnected from society as a result of their history in the Master Narrative, which has always been shoving them away. In the novel, it is presented that many on the reservation are alcoholics and most of the Native American students do not finish school because they believe that there is no future for them. Even when Junior questions his parents, "Who has the most hope? [they answer] White people" (Alexie 45). With Junior's ambitious character, he is advised by his teacher Mr. P that the only way he can follow his dream of becoming a famous cartoonist is by leaving the reservation to gain a better education. Determined and supported by his parents, he leaves to Readan, an all white school even though others in the reservation look down upon him as a traitor. In his time at the all white school, Junior struggles with trying to bridge his native culture while trying to fit in at the all white school. To illustrate his views, Junior shows a picture of a white person versus a Native American, to which he writes things for whites such as, "A bright future," "Positive role models," and "Hope" while for himself and other Indians he shows, "A vanishing past," "A family history of diabetes and cancer," and the "bone-crushing reality". From this, it …show more content…
In Willpinit, Junior's previous school where most of the Native American students went, he was bullied often because of his condition, and violence between each other was common in the reservations. Alcoholism, domestic abuse, and poverty was what Junior felt became part of the defining factors of what it was to be Indian, even though as he progresses in Readan, he learns that if they were given the right opportunities that would not be the case. At Readan, Junior feels that he must hide his poverty to the students because he himself is trying to fit in. He writes in the novel that "Native American's are allergic to sugar" so that he wouldn't have to buy anything from students or he would have them believe things that were not necessarily true, such as he liked listening to "old school" music or anything else that would make it seem otherwise (Alexie 120). In contrast, at Readan it is almost a taboo for the students to fight each other and many of them are financially better off. To his surprise, Junior notices that privileged and being white does not insulate them from their own pain and problems, as his love interest Penelope is bulimic and his friend Gordy, though intelligent, is emotionally isolated and almost anti-social. With the division and the attempt to bridge the two cultures he lives with, Junior begins to feel that being an Indian is more like a "Part-time job," even
In the reservation, Junior presents that their views of hope is almost none since they feel that they have been disconnected from society as a result of their history in the Master Narrative, which has always been shoving them away. In the novel, it is presented that many on the reservation are alcoholics and most of the Native American students do not finish school because they believe that there is no future for them. Even when Junior questions his parents, "Who has the most hope? [they answer] White people" (Alexie 45). With Junior's ambitious character, he is advised by his teacher Mr. P that the only way he can follow his dream of becoming a famous cartoonist is by leaving the reservation to gain a better education. Determined and supported by his parents, he leaves to Readan, an all white school even though others in the reservation look down upon him as a traitor. In his time at the all white school, Junior struggles with trying to bridge his native culture while trying to fit in at the all white school. To illustrate his views, Junior shows a picture of a white person versus a Native American, to which he writes things for whites such as, "A bright future," "Positive role models," and "Hope" while for himself and other Indians he shows, "A vanishing past," "A family history of diabetes and cancer," and the "bone-crushing reality". From this, it …show more content…
In Willpinit, Junior's previous school where most of the Native American students went, he was bullied often because of his condition, and violence between each other was common in the reservations. Alcoholism, domestic abuse, and poverty was what Junior felt became part of the defining factors of what it was to be Indian, even though as he progresses in Readan, he learns that if they were given the right opportunities that would not be the case. At Readan, Junior feels that he must hide his poverty to the students because he himself is trying to fit in. He writes in the novel that "Native American's are allergic to sugar" so that he wouldn't have to buy anything from students or he would have them believe things that were not necessarily true, such as he liked listening to "old school" music or anything else that would make it seem otherwise (Alexie 120). In contrast, at Readan it is almost a taboo for the students to fight each other and many of them are financially better off. To his surprise, Junior notices that privileged and being white does not insulate them from their own pain and problems, as his love interest Penelope is bulimic and his friend Gordy, though intelligent, is emotionally isolated and almost anti-social. With the division and the attempt to bridge the two cultures he lives with, Junior begins to feel that being an Indian is more like a "Part-time job," even