If You Can't Write It Draw It

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As we all know, "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" is a novel filled with sketched pictures by Alexie. This is one aspect of the novel that I was really drawn to and found interesting. Alexie tells his story not only through the words that he writes, but through the pictures that he draws. Without the drawings throughout the novel, the story, honestly, probably wouldn't be nearly as good as it is. The drawings that Alexie added show us emotion that just couldn't be put into words, but seeing it in picture form we relate to and understand exactly what he is trying to say and we can feel what he is wanting us to with a level of emotion that wouldn't be the same if he tried putting it into words. When reading the novel, I may not have completely understood something that he was trying to say or feel how he wanted me to feel through his words, but, by adding a sketch, he made sure that emotion and understanding was there.

         Alexie writes, "I draw because words are too unpredictable. I draw because words are too limited... But when you draw a picture, everybody can understand it"(Page 5). This couldn't be more true. Alexie is explaining his life as an Indian boy on a reservation which is something that I, a white girl who has never step foot on a reservation, can't relate to. Through the use of the drawings within the novel, I can better relate to what he is going through and how he is feeling because I can physically see what he is trying to make me understand. Through the use of only words, I could interpret what is being said in a different way than he intended which would screw up the whole point of what he is trying to say, but when images are added they add definite meaning as to what he is trying to get the reader to understand and feel.

    One example of Alexie being limited in words but using an image to capture what he wants us to know and feel is the part of the text where Junior throws the textbook at Mr. P. His emotions were so high at this point, after finding out that the geometry textbook that he was given was also used by his mother, that he threw the textbook at his teacher. It is hard to write that kind of emotion in words because words are limited, but by drawing a picture, we could see exactly how he felt about the situation with no words needed. The drawings definitely made this novel that much better and that much more relatable.

    

Comments

  1. Abby MardisSeptember 7, 2021 at 9:39 AM

    I agree with you! The pictures just add so much to the novel and make Arnold's stories even more interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Shaekwon HeardSeptember 8, 2021 at 5:25 PM

    Hey, Bailey! I definitely agree that the drawings helped convey ideas, feelings, and messages that words couldn't. As someone who draws, I would say the drawings are more raw and authentic than the words. For me, drawings just happen naturally based on how I feel when I start them. I have some that I could show the class, to help better express what I'm trying to say.

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