The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Take Home Test
Sherman Alexie’s National Book Award Winning novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, deals with many sensitive issues and topics that teenagers can relate to in their own lives. Dealing with friendships, identity, and bravery, Alexie’s novel constructs an emotional bond with the audience by addressing matters important in a young reader's life. To deprive certain school districts of this piece of literature, is to deprive those children of the chance to find their true selves with the help of this novel. According to an article published by “The Chicago Tribune,” many parents wanted the book banned because “it uses foul, racist language and describes sexual acts.” However, defenders protest the ban by saying the only foul or racist language used throughout the novel is between the main character, Junior, and his best friend, Rowdy. The article develops deeper stating that Junior never uses this language in front of girls, to his family, or to other adults. In response to the descriptions of sexual acts, it can be seen in the novel that he doesn't act on such thoughts. He is consistently polite and shows the upmost respect to women and adults around him. …show more content…
To pretend that high school students are not already predisposed to situations described in this book is naive. In addition to many of the strong identity and self-discovery themes, the novel also provides an extreme anti-alcohol message. This message is supported through Junior’s reactions and his heartbreak caused by his father’s alcoholism, his grandmother’s death caused by an intoxicated driver, and his sister’s death when she was too inebriated to get out of her burning home. After each of these events, Junior realizes that alcohol is a major problem amongst the Indian tribe. He adds this to his reasons to escape the captivating
Take Home Test
Sherman Alexie’s National Book Award Winning novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, deals with many sensitive issues and topics that teenagers can relate to in their own lives. Dealing with friendships, identity, and bravery, Alexie’s novel constructs an emotional bond with the audience by addressing matters important in a young reader's life. To deprive certain school districts of this piece of literature, is to deprive those children of the chance to find their true selves with the help of this novel. According to an article published by “The Chicago Tribune,” many parents wanted the book banned because “it uses foul, racist language and describes sexual acts.” However, defenders protest the ban by saying the only foul or racist language used throughout the novel is between the main character, Junior, and his best friend, Rowdy. The article develops deeper stating that Junior never uses this language in front of girls, to his family, or to other adults. In response to the descriptions of sexual acts, it can be seen in the novel that he doesn't act on such thoughts. He is consistently polite and shows the upmost respect to women and adults around him. …show more content…
To pretend that high school students are not already predisposed to situations described in this book is naive. In addition to many of the strong identity and self-discovery themes, the novel also provides an extreme anti-alcohol message. This message is supported through Junior’s reactions and his heartbreak caused by his father’s alcoholism, his grandmother’s death caused by an intoxicated driver, and his sister’s death when she was too inebriated to get out of her burning home. After each of these events, Junior realizes that alcohol is a major problem amongst the Indian tribe. He adds this to his reasons to escape the captivating