Diary

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“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie is an absolute thrill.  The work is beautifully balanced as the author shows his sometimes questionable wit just to turn around and smack you in the face with a dead serious situation.  This writing style blends perfectly with the protagonist which only strengthens the “Diary” aspect of the novel.  The expertly designed cartoons work to pull us deeper inside his mind.  Not once did I question whether or not a passage felt authentic to the character of Arnold Spirit.
I find the portrayal of poverty in the novel extremely familiar.  Growing up I had many of the strange experiences and emotions that Arnold describes.  A perfect example is early in the book when Arnold’s parents decide to put his dog down.  I had a similar experience except our dog had been injured.  Someone had shot her but we did not have the money to go to the vet.  My father and his best friend at the time drove her down the road to put her out of her misery.  I can remember having the same reaction.  Pain and anger over took me and I wanted to blame my parents but I knew I could not.  Moments like this in the novel where the protagonist honestly presents complex emotions that truly authenticate the novel.
Although the novel is full of grief, more often than not dark moments are balanced out with a moment of clarity, acceptance, hope, or just pure joy.  Instead of pouring all of its time into dour situations, moments of growth are sprinkled into the narrative in unequal quantities.  This paints Arnolds experience as a realistic roller coaster ride where some things can be seen coming and others are less obvious.  The ride is so organic and ingrained with so many relatable situations that I cannot see a better novel for adolescents to study.

While the novel manages to stay clear and linear most of the way through, the ending is a little more mysterious.  There is both a feeling of resolution and a feeling of cyclic nature.  Arnold has come so far as a person in the novel and the last chapter definitely acknowledges that fact.  However, the last chapter begins with a flashback before moving on to the conclusion.  In the end it is revealed that although Arnold has developed as a person he still has the same needs and wants as he did in the beginning and for a brief moment there he becomes suspended in the present and the past.  I wonder if next year he is to repeat the same scale of adventure.

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