Robert B. Sherman

“Judging a person doesn't define who they are, it defines who you are.” is a quote that strongly reflects the message that author, Sherman Alexie is portraying in his piece, “Indian Education”. He exemplifies the racism and discrimination he feels as an Indian student in an all white school, making him feel as though he doesn’t belong. Although Alexie was trying to better himself by seeking education at an all white school, he often finds himself getting treated with lack of respect by both…

In the story ‘’Superman and Me’’ Sherman Alexie portrays life on an American Indian reservation. He does this by showing the ways the classes of people are determined and even the way the people were treated and expected to live. He shares stories from his own life and his own views.The ways he shares his opinion and story shows the determination he had to change the lives of so many. The quote ‘’ I throw my weight against their locked doors. The door holds. I am smart. I am arrogant. I am lucky…

To come from poverty and break out of it is an enormous challenge. In order to conquer this limitation, one must remain hopeful. Sherman Alexie portrays Junior's struggle to remain hopeful. In The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part Time Indian,the cynical attitude that is passed down, lack of hope and inertia on the reservation turns children, like Junior, into despairing people convinced that they are going nowhere in life and there is nothing they can do about it. But Junior overcomes this by…

to cope with these hardships in a novel by Sherman Alexie. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a novel about Arnold Spirit, the main character that lives on the Wellpinit Reservation with his family. Arnold struggles with finding his identity through tough times in his life and transferring to a new school, Reardan High School, that is located just off of the Wellpinit Reservation. In The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Sherman Alexie explores that even if people…

Role of Basketball in Part-time Indian The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, written by Sherman Alexie, is about a young Indian boy, Junior, and his struggle to find his place in the reservation and the white community. Basketball is an essential theme in the story that connects both of Junior’s worlds. Though basketball, Junior gains confidence and perseverance, insight into different ideas and worlds, and realization that status doesn’t determine your future. Junior learns…

Native Americans live in a separate microcosm of society, one defined by their lost heritage, land, and resilience. The harsh realities of reservation life leads many to turn to anything that will allow them to temporarily escape such as alcohol, gasoline, narcotics, even inhaling kitchen cleaner. The characters Aristotle and Mouse in The Business of Fancydancing exemplify the desperate reality of those Native Americans. This paper is about alcoholism among modern Native Americans. Specifically…

Journal Eight Sherman Alexie uses many interesting features to make the interconnected short stories in his book The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven more thought-provoking and charismatic. Such features include a blend of reality and fantasy, humor and seriousness, and truth and memory. Throughout the book we get many stories that are fantastical versions of the harsh realities of life as a Native American. The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven is a book that tells uncensored…

Have you ever been treated badly because you are different? In the Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, Junior, a mentally handicapped and Native American student, is often bullied. Although stereotyped and made fun of, both for his race and his brain disability, Junior’s friends help get him through these hard times. His friends have helped him persevere in spite bullying, death of loved ones, and have stood by his side even through their fights. Friends are essential…

“Indian Education” by Sherman Alexie is a short story that really captures whomever reads it. The structure of the short story is quite a unique one. I have never seen a story told this way, which is one of the reasons it compelled me to read it. It’s told as episodes, from first grade all the way to postscript: class reunion. Each episode tells the reader more about the narrator’s Indian background and how each important event in life and education that happened that year, shaped his identity.…

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a book written by Sherman Alexie, and about a 14-year-old boy named Junior. Junior lives on a Native American Reservation and has issues ranging from financial hardship to physical disabilities. A scene that stood out to me while reading this novel was when Junior played a basketball game against his old high school, Wellpinit. This is the most important scene in the novel because it contains character insight on Junior and showcases a major…