TATDOAPTI

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Sherman Alexi’s “An Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian” was an incredible book to read for a multitude of different reasons. For instance, this novel is compelling because it addresses political, societal, and peer-related issues to where anyone, regardless of their walk of life can understand. I think that is what really drew me into this book, was that it was able to pull me in with the character of Arnold and keep me into the book by addressing controversial (some would even say taboo) topics.
                The character Arnold is completely interesting to me. In the beginning, he starts off as being introduces as a frail, misunderstood Indian kid all because of birth deformities and a desire for a further education. Yet, towards the end of the novel, he begins to recognize himself as worth something, a warrior even. He is empowered with this sense of confidence that allows him to see himself for more than he had previously. I think that the book did a superb job in Arnold’s character development, and that his growth through the novel (along with the topics introduced) really kept me coming back to the book so I can stay in the story.  Although I could not empathize with Arnold, I felt like I was actually going through what he was, and although I had only gone through a ‘fictional’ experience, I feel as if I understand more now of what it is like to be an Indian during modern time.

                Also, the topics that were constantly brought up were intriguing and challenged my thinking. Alexi introduced the injustices done to the Indians since the beginning of time, “We Indians should be better liars, considering how often we’ve been lied to,” (10). Although when the main character, Arnold, says this he is talking about his mother being a bad liar, but the context of the quote implies the Indians being lied to all the time by non-Indians (regards to land, wealth, equality etc.). Another challenging topic was that of addressing addiction, he directly addresses alcoholism and its effects on people (and himself, of course). This was moving to me, because honestly, not many authors are willing to tackle the issue of alcohol, they are usually more prone to just say  “don’t do it”. So, although there are morbid results and impacts of alcohol in this novel, it is raw cause and effect. It isn’t sugar coated, it isn’t censored to where one could find the silver lining, it is horrible. But, through the morbid accounts the reader can really grasp the message that Alexi is presenting to them.

Comments

  1. KeyCSeptember 11, 2017 at 4:11 PM

    Love your post because it does point how Arnold grew over the course of the novel. Also with Arnold birth deformities I think played a major fact in this novel because most readers would assume that it would limit his efforts throughout the story, but it proves readers wrong when Arnold does the opposite and goes above and beyond with anything he was apart of in the book.

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