Aaron Mercado
03/07/14
ENG 102
I’m
Fearless!
Have you ever thought about chasing
a dream? What stopped you? Fear? Well in The Absolute True Diary of a
Part-Time Indian written by Sherman Alexie, a young fellow named Arnold
Spirit with a nickname “Junior” who grew up on an Indian reservation that turned his life around after
making big changes by using his cartoons drawings to express how he is adapting
to a new school and stepping out side of his comfort zone with his social life. Although, he
got nervous and puked everywhere he still managed to get through life with the
help of family and friends. Arnold is proven fearless by showing his
willingness to stay afloat after experiencing tragedies and achieving goals
that not many Indians have opportunities to do.
Arnold achieved many goals, which were so
risky that he could have been kicked out and disowned by his reservation! He had transferred
to a school exactly twenty-two miles from his home. After a influencial talk with his former teacher, Mr. P.
said, “you’re a bright and shinning star, He said.” You’re the smartest kid in
school and I don’t want you to fail. I don’t want you to fade away. You deserve
better (Alexie 40).”” Arnold began
thinking about his future and the consequences of his actions. Reardan
displayed his way of adapting to a “Majority White” school. This is where he
instantly fell in love with a girl name Penelope. Arnold had met Penelope when
he first walked into his homeroom and introduced himself as “Junior” because
that is what he is known as at his reservation. Although, Penelope had “accused me of telling her my real name. Well, okay, it wasn’t
completely my real name. My full name is Arnold Spirit Jr.” (Alexie 60). He had gotten so used to being called Junior that
he introduces himself as Junior. Arnold thought it would be weird if they found
out his real name. When Penelope and Arnold started talking she “had publicly
declared that I was cute enough to ALMOST date”(Alexie 110). This publicity
gave Arnold more confidence in his way of looking just like his drawing where
he is split in between a white and Indian person where it compares the
difference of a white person with a “bright future and an Indian with a
vanishing past”(Alexie 57). Arnold has
definitely started to step outside of his social comfort zone to be able to
transfer schools and meet the girl of his dreams.
Although the death of Mary his sister and
his fathers friend Eugene were dreary; the death of his Grandmother changed his perspective
in life and made him do things that he always wanted to do when we younger but
feared to do. Before Arnold’s grandmother passed away her last words were “Forgive
Him!”(Alexie 157) Arnold was “so depressed that I thought about dropping out of
Reardan”(Alexie 173). He couldn’t handle it at one point but realize that his
grandmother was trying to leave a legacy of forgiveness since most of the tribe doesn't believe in forgiving. Arnold couldn’t
believe that his “grandmothers last act on earth was a call for forgiveness,
love, tolerance”(Alexie 157). At this
point as much as the tribe wanted to prosecute the drunk driver that had run
over Arnold Spirit’s grandmother, they had to honor her dying wish. He had
trouble grieving this whole process till he came back to school. One of his
good friends from Reardan named Gordy defended Arnold as was called out by his
teacher Mrs. Jeremy as “she said. ‘We have a special guest today. It’s Arnold
Spirit”’(Alexie 175). This was very rude comment to put Arnold on blast, and
the teacher should have known better to not say that. His “classmates walked
out of the room”(Alexie 175). They showed how much they cared about Arnold by
leaving class and proving that the teacher is wrong for putting a student on
blast. Although, it was different for Arnold at Wellpinit.
Back at Wellpinit, Arnold’s old school he
made best friends with one of the bullies named Rowdy. Once Arnold transferred to
Reardan, Rowdy thought he betrayed him since he moved. They finally faced each
other in a basketball game. Arnold knew that Rowdy is taller and quicker but it
didn’t stop him because he knew he could beat them. Arnold said he “felt like
one of those Indian scouts who led the U.S. cavalry against other Indians. But
that was okay, I guess. I wanted to win. I wanted revenge. I wasn’t playing for
fans. I wasn’t playing for white people. I was playing to beat Rowdy”(Alexie
182,183). Arnold wanted revenge from
Rowdy from that last injury Rowdy gave him. Arnold said, ‘’“Rowdy smirked at me
as I took my postion next to him.-‘‘I’m guarding you’ I said.
You can’t stop me. I’ve been kicking your ass for fourteen years,” not
tonight I said.“ Tonight’s my night”’’(Alexie 191). Arnold meant every word and
he knew that Rowdy “wanted to humiliate us on the opening play. After Arnold faced Rowdy in that basketball game Arnold had stepped outside of his comfort zone. Arnold is willing to do thinks like skip school.
Arnold values family over school,
although school is very important family comes first. Arnold drawings named
“Why I did actually miss a lot of school…1) wakes and funerals 2) Couldn’t find
a ride. 3) No money in the house. 4) Mom wanted me to stay home because she was
scared 5) Mom and I had to go search for my father so could bring him home and
keep him safe”(Alexie 174). It is that
that Arnold can’t go to school because of no transportation. In another drawing
he writes, “Junior gets to school. MON) No gas money. TUES) Gas money; car
isn’t running WED) Dad gives me a ride; car breaks down 1 mile from school. I
walk and get to school 30 mins. Late.
THURS) Mom gives me a ride; Dad too hung-over. How he would get
transportation. FRI) no gas money; nobody stops to pick me up NEXT WEEK: start over
but in a different order)!” (Alexie 88).
This shows that Arnold goes through so much hassle just to get to
school. His motivation and courage leads him in a way to not to be submerged in
life. Arnold loves to go to school but
has trouble due to not having any money or way of getting to school.
Arnold Spirit is fearful for their death of
climbing tall trees with his best friend Rowdy. They knew it would be dangerous
but also knew that it would be such a sight to see at the top of the trees.
They did not let fear get in the way of it so “I spit on my hands, rubbed them
together, and reached up for the first branch. I pulled myself up to the next
branch. And then the next and next and the next. Rowdy followed me. Branch by
branch, Rowdy and I climbed toward the top of the tree, to the bottom of the
sky”(Alexie 225). Arnold was at first
doubtful of Rowdy and his ability to climb trees, but it was all worth once
they were close to the top. Once they were “near the top the branches got
thinner and thinner. I wondered if they’d support our weight. I kept expecting
one of them to snap and send me plummeting to my death. But it didn’t happen.
The branches did not break”(Alexie 226). They were expecting to die and get
really injured; no matter what the cause Arnold trusted the tree and his best
friend.
Arnold will forever be an
inspirational character that will inspire young minds. Its from puking all over
places, climbing trees, playing basketball and all sorts of things that went on
in his life. At the end of the day Arnold Spirit Junior knew that he was who,
he was but he also knew that he or anyone he knows can follow their dreams no
matter how much fear stops them he shows that if he can do it, they can do it
as well. Junior has proved that fear
cannot stop him from presenting his eagerness to stay afloat after experiencing
tragedies and achieving goals that not many Indians have opportunities to do.
Alexie,
Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York:
Hachette Book Group, 2007. Print
