1.
A couple of different things happened to me while I was reading Sherman Alexie’s
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. On one hand, I found myself becoming more physically relaxed as I progressed through the book, probably because I needed something humourous after a number of rather depressing reads, both for this course and in my recreational reading. Even when things get tough for the main character, Junior, it was easy to tell that he would persevere and there would be a happy ending. And there is always some humour in Junior’s narration, even when life is in the shitter.
I also found myself needing that happy ending, which is not something that is common for me. As a reader, I kept thinking that Junior must succeed and the book must end with the idea that he will eventually leave the reservation (and wrestling with the notion of what it meant for me to want that for Junior).
2.
One thing I really liked, caused by both the text and my history as a reader, was the play between comic and written form. Not only is there a really nice interplay between the two elements, but they seem like natural extensions of each other. The idea to have the cartoons be written by Junior is smart, not only because it further expands his character, but it continues his sense of humour. As a reader of graphic novels, the point of view of the comics really stuck out to me and enhanced the reading experience.
3.
To enjoy this book, I think readers have to be willing to believe and accept that Junior can laugh at himself, his family and the culture, both white and Native American, that he is growing up in. I don’t think the book calls for a dark sense of humour, but the reader has to understand how Junior’s drawings and jokes act as a coping mechanism for dealing with what is a very rough upbringing, as well as the loss that he experiences throughout the book. It’s also necessary to forget a lot of the first chapter as you keep reading. Junior’s initial description of himself seems odd once you get to the end, in my opinion.
4.
Thinking back to last weeks presentation on humour, this book is worthwhile because a) it’s really funny and b) endearing at the same time, containing a character with real problems and dreams, with the requisite barriers in his way. Even though Junior’s life is full of hardship (surrounded by alcoholics and death, for one thing), he does not approach it with angst, but gets through life my laughing at his situation and surroundings.
ATDoaPTI is not merely funny, it also has substance and depth. Humour is used effectively and with a purpose.
5.
I think the best way of interesting a young adult to this book would be to give it to them and just tell them to flip through it and pay attention to the comics. Especially for reluctant readers, this would be a great way of saying, “This book isn’t like other books.” Most of the illustrations are humourous in nature and it would be easy for teen readers to get a quick idea whether or not the book would appeal to them. The paragraphs are often only one or two lines, so that would be another element that would appeal to reluctant readers if they were to peruse the book.
6.
One thing that would attract any reader to the book (and something I didn’t know until working on this question), was that
ATDoaPTI is closely based on the author’s life (I obviously thought the title was lying to me). It’s hard to tell where the autobiography starts and the fiction ends, in retrospect, but the book acts as a wonderful way of encouraging teens that they can rise above their surroundings. There is not a rag to riches story, but a true story of human courage, especially when it’s told in such a manner, will no doubt lure in readers.
7.
My assumption reading
ATDoaPTI was that there was very little young adult literature written about the indigenous peoples of North America. While most of Alexie’s artistic works, which also includes poetry and films, are about this approach, this is his only work that is for young adults (of course, that does not mean teens should be discouraged from reading more of his work).
Some other titles I found that are about Native Americans are:
Sweetgrass Basket by Marlene Carvell,
Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac,
Offsides by Erik Esckilsen and a collection of short stories called
Moccasin Thunder that includes a story by Alexie. These are all works that have been published this decade, so hopefully they are still in print and/or on library shelves.
