I'm Fearless!

                                                                                                            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.                                                                                                                                                                                                                               WORKS CITED

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York:

Hachette Book Group, 2007. Print