The Absolutely True Diary About a Parttime Indian Essay Example

in order to secure a brighter future, as staying would mean forfeiting his potential success. The only positive aspect in Arnold's life is Rowdy, who doesn't harm him. Arnold decides to search for hope outside the reservation, as he knows that staying there could result in his death.

Travel agencies travel - Arnold’s parents believe that white people have more opportunities. Arnold expresses his desire to switch schools and leave the reservation to travel to Reardan. Meanwhile, Mary is heading out to find herself.

Arnold is leaving and the reserve members are upset. They plan to torment him. Raucous sings the blues and Rowdy is getting angry while Arnold tells him he's going to Reardan. Arnold wants Rowdy to join him.

In their reserve, their school has repeatedly played against Reardan but has never won (they lost every game). Arnold believes that the white kids have it all and are everything; they are hopeful. Rowdy became furious and began yelling, eventually punching Arnold in the face. Arnold's former best friend has now become his worst enemy.

How to deal with monsters - Arnold arrived at Reardan for the first time. Kids, pale children, surrounded him. They were much stronger than him. When he entered the classroom.

A beautiful girl named Penelope introduced herself. Arnold had a fight with some boys from Reardan and, of course, he lost. He was afraid that they would come back to kill him. Arnold also got into a fight with Roger, a leader of the "gang" in Reardan.

They didn't adhere to the Rules of Fist Fighting.
Grandma advises me
Arnold consults his grandma about what to do with Roger, as he just left. Grandma believes Roger

has respect for Arnold.

Grandma's intuition proved correct, as the next day at school Roger was exceptionally kind to Arnold. However, when Arnold encountered Penelope, her behavior was abhorrent. She acted as if she was unaware of Arnold's existence.

Cryings of a buffoon

Arnold's affections shifted toward Dawn; he fell in love with her.

However, she did not care about him, although Arnold believes he loves her even more than that. She was unattainable to him. Rowdy instructs Arnold to call; he says that Dawn does not pay attention to him.

 Hallowe'en

Arnold dresses himself as a homeless cat and notices that Penelope is wearing the same costume.

They made a trade to provide relief for stateless individuals, but on the reservation, he received only $10. However, he was attacked by certain individuals who stole the money from him. Penelope demonstrates kindness towards him, and Arnold believes that she has feelings for him.

He seeks Rowdy's guidance for Penelope.

Feeling down as Thanksgiving approaches, it was the most isolated period for Arnold at Reardan. No one looked at him or spoke to him. He also recognized that he was more intelligent than most children.

When Arnold arrived at the place, his mother was shouting: "Mary got married to a mobile gambler." Arnold goes to Gordy (swot) and asks him to be friends. They did become friends.

Gordy taught him how to read, emphasizing that books should bring joy.

 My Sister Sends Me an E-mail

Mary sends Arnold an electronic mail, sharing details about her husband and their life in Montana. She mentions riding a horse and applying for jobs at restaurants at Flathead Reserve, which is significantly larger. Additionally, there

are also white people residing there.

Polson attempted to divide. She also shares about her honeymoon at Flathead Lake. Dreams really do come true. She adores Montana and Arnold.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving arrives and the Spirit family celebrates with a turkey and all the trimmings. Arnold wonders why Native Americans still commemorate Thanksgiving.

His Dad tells him they should feel thankful that the white laborers didn't kill all the Indians. Everyone finds it funny. Arnold longs for Rowdy to come and have pumpkin pie with him. He decides to draw a picture of both of them and visits Rowdy's house to give it to him. However, Rowdy's father claims that Rowdy is not home even though he actually is.

Arnold requests that Rowdy's father give the drawing to Rowdy. Despite calling Arnold "kind of homosexual," Rowdy's father agrees to hand over the image before walking away.

Arnold reaches the end of the private road and sees Rowdy watching him from his bedroom window. Arnold attempts to call out to him, but Rowdy jokingly pushes Arnold aside and leaves the window.

The Struggles of Hunger

Currently, Arnold is in Mr. Sheridan's history class, and their discussion is quite tiring.

Arnold departs to use the bathroom and notices vomiting sounds emanating from the girls' restroom. He attempts to gain entry by knocking on the door, but the occupant inside instructs him to leave.

The stunning Penelope, revealed to be suffering from bulimia, exits the scene. She raises her voice at Arnold, conveying her sense of isolation and asserting that she does not possess the level of flawlessness, beauty, and intellect that others perceive in her. Nevertheless, Arnold and Penelope form a relationship. Unfortunately, Penelope's father disapproves of Arnold.

Arnold

is becoming popular due to his racist views. Both Arnold and Penelope share a common belief that they want to leave Reardan because the people there have limited aspirations and small-mindedness. When Penelope expresses her thoughts, Arnold finds it amusing, but Penelope feels frustrated that her opinions are not taken seriously.

Arnold inquires about her true desire in life, to which she responds by expressing her ambition to travel to Stanford, explore architecture, and create something remarkable in order to leave a memorable legacy. Arnold does not find this amusing as it aligns with his own aspirations.

Arnold declares his love for Penelope and admires her beauty. He also shares an aside about her captivating appearance. Meanwhile, a bully offers Arnold advice on love. Arnold is enchanted by Penelope's beauty while watching her play volleyball at school, longing for her fair, radiant skin.

Arnold characterizes her as a vanilla bar and reveals his longing to be the "chocolate topping." Unsure of how to handle his feelings, Arnold decides to send an email to Rowdy. Within the email, he inquires, "I am in love with a white girl. What should I do?" Promptly, Rowdy replies expressing his frustration towards Indians who view white women as objects of prestige and advises Arnold to focus on himself. Feeling uncertain, Arnold seeks guidance from Gordy. Gordy utilizes Google to research the subject and shares with Arnold a report about a girl named Cynthia who disappeared in Mexico the previous summer.

The article discusses the difference in attention received when Cynthia disappears compared to the lack of attention given to dozens of Mexican girls who go missing without anyone speaking up, as stated in

the article.

According to Gordy, people prioritize beautiful white misss above everyone else on the planet because they are privileged. He tells Arnold that he is being racist.

Arnold comes to the realization that Gordy is just as tough as Rowdy.

 Dancing, dancing, and more dancing.

Arnold regularly travels between Reardan and Wellpinit and starts to feel like a "part-time" Indian.

Arnold, while at school, pretends that his household is wealthier than they actually are. Despite having only five dollars, he manages to take Penelope to the Winter Formal and successfully pulls off the event.

Arnold encounters Penelope at the gym wearing one of his Dad's old polyester suits because he doesn't have money for gas or new clothes. Luckily, Penelope appreciates the outfit and finds it cool because it has a retro vibe.

Even though he only has five dollars, Penelope's father agrees to let her go with Roger, who is Arnold's friend and will be driving them.

At the diner, Arnold orders a large amount of food for both himself and Penelope. Later, in the bathroom, Roger asks Arnold about basketball and finances. Roger offers to lend Arnold some money to pay for the diner bill.

As Penelope and Arnold bid farewell to the night, she inquires if he is unfortunate. He confirms this and receives a kiss on the cheek from her. Roger drives them both.

Arnold concludes the chapter with a positive thought: "If you allow people a small place in your life, they can be extremely amazing."

"Do not curse your computer."

At school, Arnold begins to grow distant from Rowdy, so he decides to take a happy picture of himself and send it as an

email to Rowdy.

Gordy observes an image in which two boys are engaged in a conversation regarding Rowdy and his animosity towards Arnold. They discuss the challenges faced on the Indian reservation since Junior started attending school in Reardan. Arnold explains to Gordy that Native Americans believe assimilating into white culture leads to success. Arnold also informs Gordy that people on the reservation refer to him as an "apple" - outwardly red, but perceived as white internally.

Gordy provides professional advice regarding the conflict between an individual and the community. Both Gordy and Arnold acknowledge that they are extraordinary and therefore belong to two different groups.

My sister sends me a letter.

Mary sends another letter to Junior.

In this letter, she shares with Junior her struggles with her new job on the reserve due to her lack of experience. She has also begun writing her life story, considering the title "How to Run Away from Your House and Find Your Home." Additionally, she includes a photo of her new house, which resembles a "TV dinner tray" in its unappealing appearance.

Caribou games. Arnold's father encourages him to join the basketball team and emphasizes the importance of having ambitious goals in order to succeed. Determined, Arnold decides to join the team and acknowledges that he will need to practice diligently and develop his skills in order to make it onto the varsity team.

In the first drill, there was a 100-lap endurance contest. In the second drill, Arnold, who is the best Taw coach has ever seen, took part in a one-to-one game and eventually made it to the varsity team.

Before Reardan's first game against Wellpinit High, Arnold experiences extreme nervousness,

causing him to vomit four times within the twenty-four hours leading up to the game. In addition, during the match, Rowdy forcefully overwhelms Arnold resulting in him losing consciousness.

Arnold sustains a minor concussion and requires three stitches. The coach visits Arnold in the infirmary and praises his unwavering dedication, stating he has never seen anyone quite like Arnold.

And a partridge in a pear tree

Arnold's father spends their scarce funds on alcohol and becomes drunk. He comes back on January 2nd with a severe hangover. Despite knowing that his father is an aggressive alcoholic, Arnold's father gives him a $5 bill and wishes him a "Merry Christmas".

Junior is deeply touched by the fact that he chose to save money for himself instead of spending it on beer.

Comparison between Red and White

Arnold admits that his reader may assume that he has developed feelings towards white people, regardless.

Contrary to belief, he denies the statement's truthfulness. He harbors strong sentiment towards his sister, as well as his mother and father, despite their flaws. The rationale behind this is their willingness to engage in meaningful discussions with him and genuinely lend an ear.

Arnold states that life in Wellpinit is superior to life in Reardan. In the reservation, everyone is acquainted with each other. American Indians used to appreciate optimistic individuals, but due to the influence of white people, they no longer exist. Regrettably.

Grandma passed away after being fatally struck by a drunk driver as she was returning from a small gathering. Arnold has forgiven Gerald, the Indian individual who unintentionally caused the accident with his vehicle. Moreover, Gerald has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Arnold grieves for his grandmother's

passing, particularly because she abstained from alcohol.
Subsequent events
The subsequent events following her death take place after three days, with a turnout of two thousand Indians.

No one gives Arnold any dirt because they are aware that his household is grieving. After the passing of his grandmother, they cease to bother him. A large number of individuals visit to pay their respects.

Arnold and his sister Mary are not able to travel to the football field for the aftermath. However, a rich white cat named Ted stands up during the aftermath and holds a bag.

Billionaire Ted, the art aggregator, expresses his profound appreciation for Indian people, art, vocals, and dances. He proudly reveals ownership of a stunning huddle dance outfit, although there's suspicion of it being stolen. To investigate its origins, he enlists the expertise of a hired specialist.

The anthropologist confirmed that the outfit originated from the Spokane Indian Reservation. Ted learned that the outfit actually belonged to Arnold's grandmother. She asserted that there was no need for an apology because her own mother did not dance and the outfit did not belong to her.

The attire appeared more fitting for someone from the Sioux or Oglala tribes, rather than a person from Spokane. Billionaire Ted swiftly gathered the bag and left. This prompted Arnold's mother to begin laughing, followed by everyone else joining in with laughter and cheers.

They lay Arnold's grandmother to rest in the ground. Valentine's bosom is the place where they bury her. This happens during the time of Valentine's Day. In addition, Eugene, who is Arnold's father's closest friend, gets shot in the face in the parking lot of a 7-11.

Eugene and his friend

Bobby were both intoxicated. Bobby, who was very drunk, accidentally pulled the trigger. The authorities believe they were arguing over the last drink from a bottle of wine. Bobby later hung himself in jail a few weeks later. Arnold's father continues to engage in binge drinking.

Junior expresses anger towards God and Jesus by drawing sketches. Gordy helps Arnold cope with heartache and loss by introducing him to Euripides' Greek tragedy, Medea. This causes Arnold to become sad and skip school for a period of time. However, when he comes back to his social studies class, he resumes his usual routine.

Mrs. Jeremy, the instructor, sarcastically comments about Arnold's condescension in not showing up for the demo.

She advises him not to lose this much category. To defend Arnold, Gordy stands and deliberately drops his textbook on the floor, prompting everyone else to do the same.

Then they all walk out of the room, all Arnold can do is laugh. He delivers a fairly good line to Mrs. Jeremy regarding the universe being divided into two types of people: bastards and non-bastards.

And so, he walks out excessively, finding hope once more. Arnold copes by making lists to sustain joy in his life, including a list of people who bring him happiness, and another of musicians who create joyful melodies.

Arnold continues to engage in activities that bring him joy, such as reading his favorite books and participating in his favorite basketball games. In addition, he consistently creates lists of things that make him happy, sketches drawings, and writes compositions.

It brings him happiness and assists him in sadness. Like a ruler of animals during the basketball season, Arnold begins

to contemplate his past life on the reservation when he was considered an outcast and had low expectations.

At Reardan, however, there is a desire for him to be well-behaved, so that is exactly what he becomes – a testament to the influence of perspectives.

"He says even though he is improving, Arnold still throws up earlier before every game. Why? It's not because he's scared, but because he's nervous."

He is a "nervous yucker", not a frightened one like back in Wellpinit. All of the participants are compared to older participants of the past, but not Arnold.

Comparing an Indian to a white adult male is more difficult. The Wellpinit rematch revolves around Arnold's desire to defeat Rowdy and seek revenge. However, the Wellpinit team has improved with a record of 13-0.

They are ranked number 1 for a small school in the province and Reardan is ranked number 2. Therefore, it goes without saying that the match is significant. A local news team interviews Arnold and inquires about his emotions.

In response to the newsman's repeated inquiries, Junior can only muster the word "weird" as he feels vulnerable and suspicious of the reporter's intentions. However, after a while, Arnold regains composure and agrees to speak on camera about the significance of the upcoming night and his strong desire to emerge victorious. The coach acknowledges that their team may not possess greater talent than the Indian squad but emphasizes their resilience and determination.

Arnold Spirit is a member of their squad, as stated by the coach. The coach assigns Arnold to guard Rowdy, which surprises and intimidates him, but also makes him feel proud. The coach gives Arnold an encouraging and

impactful message, telling him that he has the capability to succeed.

The Wellpinit team arrives at the court and is met with boos from the crowd. Rowdy and Arnold exchange hostile gestures. When Arnold informs Rowdy that he will be guarding him, Rowdy responds with laughter. Arnold understands that Rowdy is hoping to make a dramatic shot to send a message, but Arnold surprises him by jumping higher and successfully grabbing the ball from his hands.

He dribbles towards his hoop, hits a three arrow, and lands it, causing the crowd to go wild! After that, the game is essentially finished.

According to Arnold, Reardan defeats Wellpinit by a margin of 40 points at the end of the game. The squad celebrates the victory by lifting Arnold up on their shoulders.

Arnold gazes upon his father, who stands stoically. His father's attention is fixated on the Wellpinit team. It dawns on Arnold that he has been aligning himself with the mighty Goliath, not the valiant David.

Arnold comes to the realization that Rowdy's father will most likely physically harm him for losing the game. He sheds tears not of happiness, but of shame. Wellpinit fails to make it to the playoffs, while Reardan does.

 
  Though they lose to a bantam farm-town school called Almira Coulee-Hartline, Bully and I Have a Long and Serious Discussion About Basketball After hoops season ends.
 
 Arnold emails Rowdy to state sorry they beat them and sorry their season went to hell. Rowdy calls him a “faggot”. Sing as how this is the first clip Rowdy has truly talked to Junior since he left the rez.

The email exchange brings him joy as a

"happy faggot".

Russians are not always geniuses.

Arnold, who is only 14 years old, states that he has attended 42 funerals, which surpasses the number for any white teenager he knows. However, this is the main distinction between Indians and Whites. The majority of deaths are caused by alcohol. Gordy presents Arnold with a book by Tolstoy, who claimed that unhappy families are all unhappy in their own unique way; Arnold disagrees.

Arnold believes that the presence of alcohol in Indian households leads to unhappiness. He shares his reason for feeling particularly resentful: earlier today, he was summoned to Miss Warren's office. This experience was strange because Miss Warren is attractive, so when she embraces him, he becomes sexually aroused.

The narrator informs him that his sister has passed away. It's a double shock for Arnold. Arnold's father is on his way to pick him up, but Arnold is worried because it's snowing and he fears his father may get into a car accident.

When he finally sees the car, he can't help but burst out laughing. Once he starts, he can't stop, in a state of madness.

Arnold bursts into uncontrollable laughter in the car when his Dad breaks the news that his sister passed away in a fire. Apparently, she was hosting a party and someone accidentally left the hot stove on, causing a drape to catch fire.

Everything burned down, causing his sister to not feel any pain due to her excessive intoxication. Junior is not comforted by this fact and starts laughing hysterically once again.

He vomits and regurgitates a small piece of cantaloupe vine, which is strange

because he despises cantaloupe vine, while his sister adored it. This oddity leads to further uncontrollable laughter.

Then Arnold falls asleep and has a dream about a cantaloupe vine and the time he was stung by a WASP. He is at a place where relatives are eating all the food, and Arnold’s Mom clings to him and slaps him until he promises never to drink. Then she cries on him for hours. Mary is buried in the Catholic cemetery near the huddle land and Arnold feels like he is in a fog.

After the casket is placed in the ground, Arnold quickly flees into the nearby woods. There, he unexpectedly encounters Rowdy, who had been hiding and observing the burial. Rowdy is yelling.

Junior reaches out to touch Rowdy's shoulder, but Rowdy attempts to block him, resulting in a miss. Junior finds this amusing and Rowdy becomes more determined. Rowdy then informs Junior that it was a mistake on his part.

Mary's death is attributed to Junior's departure from the reservation. As a direct result, she left and married someone else. During a conversation with Junior, Rowdy expresses his strong hatred towards him and then abruptly bends over and runs away.

Junior has never seen him run from anything before. Unable to bear everyone drinking at home, Junior goes to school the next day. At school, everyone embraces and comforts Junior.

Penelope is in tears, with a large nose, but still appears attractive, according to Junior.

 Memory

Arnold and his family go to the cemetery to tidy up Grandmother Spirit's graves. Eugene.

Arnold is happy because both his parents, Dad and Mary, are present. Dad brings his

saxophone, and Mom packs a field day. The two grownups hold hands, and Arnold's Mom expresses her pride in him.

However, he weeps and shouts for his sister, himself, and his people - many of whom will continue to die from alcohol and never leave the reservation.

He feels completely alone because he was the only crazy and arrogant enough to leave the reserve. Arnold acknowledges, however, that he may be an Indian.

In numerous ways, he is much more than just a cartoonist, but also a young boy with countless other characteristics. And this realization brings him comfort and assurance that everything will be alright.

Then he longs for Rowdy, yearning to hug him and be forgiven.

 Speaking about turtlenecks

Arnold describes the splendor of the reservation, adorned with majestic pine trees, ancient and towering. He recalls having scaled many of them.

He recounts the story of when he and Rowdy were ten years old and climbed one of the largest pine trees by Turtle Lake. At that time, they shared their dreams of having air conditioning and playing in the NBA. Arnold describes how they had planned to go swimming at Turtle Lake that day.

The man's fear of sinking and drowning stemmed from the fact that no one had ever been to the bottom of Turtle Lake. The existence of a vent possibly explains the lake's perpetual depth. Numerous stories and myths have circulated about Turtle Lake, including one about Arnold's father witnessing a horse drown in it.

According to legend, a horse called "Stupid Horse" tragically drowned in Turtle Lake, but its body was found on the shore of another lake about 10 miles away.

The locals decided to burn the body, but after doing so, the water in Turtle Lake mysteriously caught fire. Days later, Stupid Horse's body washed up on the shore of Turtle Lake again, and from that point on, no one dared to disturb the corpse. It remained there rotting for weeks, and people stopped swimming in Turtle Lake altogether.

Returning to the story of 10-year-old Rowdy and Arnold, as they make their way to Turtle Lake, they come across a large, tall, and beautiful pine tree. Rowdy suggests that they climb it, although Arnold is hesitant, they end up doing so anyway. The view from the top of the tree is both amazing and terrifying as they can see the entire reserve. Eventually, they descend from the tree, and Arnold is still in disbelief about his achievements, including climbing the tree and transferring to Reardan.

Fast forward to the present day, after school ends for summer break. Arnold feels hopeful about the future but also misses his white friends. One day, while sitting in the living room, Rowdy pays him a visit. They engage in playful banter before Rowdy suggests playing basketball together. Arnold initially hesitates but eventually agrees. They shoot some baskets before deciding to play a one-on-one game. While playing, Arnold asks Rowdy to come to Reardan with him next year. However, Rowdy declines and mentions that he has been reading a book about Native Americans. He believes Arnold is mobile. Rowdy informs him that he had a dream where Arnold was standing on the Great Wall of China. Rowdy mentions that he was genuinely happy for him. Arnold gives Rowdy a call. Rowdy asks

Arnold to promise to send him postcards. Arnold promises that he will never lose Rowdy or his family. He hopes to be forgiven for leaving them, as well as for leaving the team. He also hopes that they can forgive him. Rowdy and Arnold continue playing basketball together without keeping score.