In Sherman Alexie’s book , The Absolutely True diary of a part-time Indian, Junior the protagonist is arguably the most important character. Sherman Alexie uses the character of Junior to express events which Sherman Alexie experienced when he was younger and to explore the theme of being an outsider. In the book Junior is presented as an outsider in many occasions. In this essay I will talk about five major events: In Reardan he was the only Indian in the whole town. In Wellpinit he is seen as an outsider because he left the reservation to go to a all white school. When he goes with his friends to have pancakes he is also seen as an outsider.
One way in which Junior is presented as an outsider is through his dual experience of living in Wellpinit whilst studying in Reardan. For example he is seen as an outsider in Reardan because he is the only Indian in the all white school so his colleagues and teachers think his stupid cause his Indian.This is evidenced by him getting called “Junior in Wellpinit and called Arnold in Reardan”. So it shows that he is seen as two different people. This shows he is an outsider in Wellpinit cause they think he is white and in Reardan he is seen as an outsider because he is black. He is also seen as an outsider in Wellpinit cause he left for a better education and improve his basketball skills but his friends believe that he want to be white because he left Wellpinit for Reardan.
Another way in which Junior is presented as an outsider is through his experience in poverty. For example when Junior goes out with Roger and Penelope and he doesn’t have enough money for the pancakes for him and Penelope and his friend Roger had to lent him money to pay for him and Penelope. This shows that he is poor. Another way is when Junior compares himself with the white kids in Reardan and he finds himself as a really poor kid. His trousers are really cheap also his tshirt and trainers and bag (bean bag) from his parents. The white kids have the best trainers, best trousers, best watch and has a phone which Junior doesn’t have one. This is another way in Which shows Junior as an outsider within Junior’s poverty. The quote ” No watch. It’s skin thirty. ” it is a metaphor and describes that he is poor and can’t afford a watch. It also describes that he suffers because he cannot afford a watch or other staff that a child deserves and needs for a normal life. Junior means that on his left hand doesn’t have a watch and it’s all skin and on the watch it’s thirty.
Junior is also seen as an outsider in the basketball match because when he went into the match he got booed and got hit in the face with the coin in the forehead. It happened to him because he left Wellpinit for Reardan to get a better education but his tribe think he left so he want to be white. The quote that shows that he got hit and started to bleed is “And as I ran into the court ,somebody from the crowd threw a quarter at me. And hit me in the fricking forehead!”
- In conclusion Junior is presented as an outsider in many ways but the most effective way is through the fact that he is called two names ( Arnold and Junior ). In my opinion him getting called two names it shows that his name in Reardan is Arnold ( which is a white name ) and his name in Wellpinit is Junior. I think that this way is the most important because he has two names. So if he has two names he has two identities and he doesn’t like that no one would like it but he is forced too.
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