Comparing The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part Time Indian And The Boy Who Dared

Comparative Essay

“If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be lead, like sheep to the slaughter.” (George Washington) In “The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part Time Indian” and “The Boy Who Dared” this is a great and bold statement for these two novels. These two books are magnificent examples of two boys that decided to take their life into their own hands and not leave it in the mainstream of hopeless and following people. These fiction novels match in a number of ways including, point of view, conflicts, and mood. These topics really bond the books tightly around its theme, freedom of speech. The boys, Helmuth and Arnold are an example for the world of today to do what you have to and to be who you need to be. …show more content…
The conflicts in both books are the base to intrude the theme to the reader. In “The Boy Who Dared” there is a very obvious and serious conflict going on between Helmuth and the Nazis. Helmuth does not agree with the way things workout when Hitler is at power and therefore seriously starts to doubt Hitlers “great” leadership. “Justice Fikeis is screaming now: “Are you suggesting that your leaders are lying?” Helmuth takes a deep breath, and in the contemptible manner he can muster, says, “Jawohl, ihr lügt.” Yes, you are liars!” This illustrates that Helmuth has serious doubts if his “leaders” are doing what’s right. Helmuth feels like he can not express his true feelings and be who he truly is. He can not be himself when Hitler is at power and therefore this major conflict between them two has started, which motivates Helmuth to change the fatherland. Similarly in “The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part Time Indian” Arnold has a huge conflict with society. The people in his reservation despise him for standing up for his future. “And as I ran onto the court, somebody in the crowd threw a quarter at me. AND HIT ME IN THE FRICKING FOREHEAD.” This shows how Helmuth took his own matter into hands and went to another school. The crowd can not stand him for having hope and thinking he is better than them. Therefore they try to humiliate him and make his life as miserable as possible. These two books are …show more content…
The mood of the novels is to make a better life for themselves. In “The Boy Who Dared” the mood is brought out with use of the point of view. The point of view shows his pain which helps us understand Helmuth. Helmuth really tries to make a better life for himself by removing this blockade on what he can do and think. “ Helmuth lies spread-eagled on the boards. His face back shoulders buttocks legs they burn burn burn. He prays, not for deliverance, but for strength. He will not crack. Must. Hold. Out. No. Names.” Helmuth has been put in prison here but is still trying to put the mood forward for others. His friends that helped him and are praying to not be caught are being protected by Helmuth. In contrast in “The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part Time Indian” The whole reservation have no more hope which makes them depressed. The depression then makes them blind and gives them no chance for a better life. “Way drunk, Eugene was shot and killed by one of his good friends, Bobby, who was to drunk to even remember pulling the trigger.” The hope for a better life is fully taken away because they do not believe that they can achieve it. They try to then put away their pain with alcohol. The only one who still had this hope was Arnold and he took action to better his life. Here the books are partially very different due to the fact that the mood is more focused on the people of the reservation