The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

             Arnold, the main character in Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, is a hero.  Although he is totally oblivious to this fact, Arnold’s determination and perseverance help him transform into so much more than the stereotypical “lazy drunk Indian” that has trapped most of his tribe members including his parents.  

From birth Arnold has been different than most of his peers on the reservation, from his large head to his sensitivity to those even less fortunate than him, including his best friend Rowdy.  This isolation from his peers gives Arnold the opportunity to use his imagination and with the push of an old math teacher on the reservation he begins his journey.  This journey takes Arnold from the reservation where he faced belittlement and violent to a white school where there is racism and a fear of the unknown, which is Arnold himself.  Despite the backlash from his former classmates, Arnold continues his education in the white school.  After one conflict in school, with Roger, Arnold gains respect of his classmates, becomes a member of the varsity basketball team and finally feels as though he belongs.

Getting to school for Arnold was extremely difficult.  From his parents inability to pay for gas to drive him to his father getting too drunk to remember to take or pick him up, Arnold figured out a way to not miss school.  Hitchhiking and walking the twenty-two miles became part of Arnold’s routine until he finally let his classmates in.  By allowing his classmates into his personal life, not only did he receive rides home but he also found out that it was “pretty damn amazing” to have people care about him.

The biggest obstacle, however, that Arnold faced was the guilt for leaving the reservation and wanting more.  He was the first to attend school off the reservation and for that reason he became a traitor among his tribe.  Arnold also faced the challenges of attending a white school, where he was reminded by teachers that he didn’t belong there.  Feeling no sense of belonging plus the guilt for wanting to do and become more, it’s impressive that Arnold didn’t succumb to the pressure.  This further exemplifies his heroic qualities.

When comparing my life to Arnold’s, there are many differences between the two including gender, ethnicity and motivations.  Arnold’s wanting to escape was caused by his dislike of his environment; ultimately he wanted a better quality of life which is completely understandable.  When I was younger, my reason for wanting to leave was simply out of rebellion.  I can relate to Arnold’s initial feeling when he realized that he was the only non-white person at school, regardless of age one is always aware of their ethnicity when surrounded by a group of Caucasians.  That being said, Arnold discovered that in the bigger picture one’s skin color ultimately doesn’t matter but rather a person’s actions.  For me, Arnold is a big headed, skinny hero to which every person can to relate to in some way or another.