The main character Arnold, or Junior whichever you prefer, is quite a character that many students can connect with.  He jokes about his flaws, shoots for his dreams, and works the hardest that he can.  I feel that Arnold has a different experience with his flaws than I have, but he also had a harder life than I did.  The theme I feel fits the text the most is a theme of self preservation.

Arnold has a good sense of humor when it comes to his disabilities. They way he describes himself from the beginning: hydro head, 10 extra teeth, black thick rimmed glasses; the reader immediately can picture what it is the character looks like. He makes fun of himself in such a descriptive way that the reader knows exactly what he's talking about and can picture that image in their minds.  I feel this is part of the purpose for such jokes about his appearance, or persona.  He constantly tells about his "homo" behaviors that tend to be crying and touching.  You know he isn't but the way he describes the moment he touches Rowdy on the shoulder after telling him he's going to school at Reardan. The reader themselves feels "uncomfortable" or that maybe this is too sentimental. But I feel the reason I felt this way is because the author portrays Rowdy as such an impersonal person that they know immediately that he is going to take that touch out of context. I think a student or reader connects with the jokes that Arnold says about himself is because it lets the reader know it's okay to joke about it. It is actually better to joke about it than mope over the flaws one has.

Arnold, despite the pressures of staying on the rez, shoots for  his dreams.  He leaves the rez school to attend Reardan in hopes of some day leaving the rez and having a life of his own.  Arnold plays basketball, he shoots for his dreams by beating the rez team and going on to be a great player.  He shoots for his dreams when he approaches Penelope and wins her affection.  This book constantly shows the how you never know what you can accomplish unless you aim for it and go.  I think this gives students a great role model in a book.

I don't recall any spot to which Arnold gave any less than his best.  He's always trying hard to accomplish tasks that are set before him and does not slack around.  I think this shows determinant qualities that many students need.  I need to show more determination in the things I do.

Arnold has a very different life than what I have, and yet I feel connected to him.  I have gone through bullying, I have joked about my flaws, and I have tried hard at many tasks. But I have not suffered the wrath of an alcoholic for a father, had many people close to me die, nor have I have I been so physically abused by bullies.  I can say that my life has been "better" than him in those points, but I have never had people show me such acceptance and friendship the way the kids at Reardan do when they finally accept him into their lives. I think that he has a very rich relationship with many people.  For that I am jealous.

Lastly, the theme I recognize the most is self preservation.  Arnold constantly it fighting for how he can become himself and not fall into the norm of the rez.  He joins friends with Gordy because they are similar, I think that shows that he doesn't want a relationship that will force him to compromise his personality, he can be himself.  Throughout this book it is all about him trying to stay alive and change the course to which society expects him to follow.  To me that is self preservation.