Interpret/explore/explain the context and the significance of the quote “I don’t know if hope is white. But I do know that hope for me is like some mythical creature” (51).

In the novel The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, the quote “I don’t know if hope is white. But I do know that hope for me is like some mythical creature” (51) represents how Junior is one of the only people who still has hope on the reservation and how he is finding it more and more challenging to hang on to that hope. Since the white people seem to have all of the lucky breaks and advantages for a bright future, Junior wonders if hope is only tied to white people, if Indians just "do not have the hope" to work towards a shining star career. In the line "hope (for me) is like a mythical creature", Junior is explaining how hope is almost impossible for him to reach. In his cartoon on page 51, Junior illustrates a white unicorn among white clouds, which symbolizes dreaming, imagination, and hope, as well as showing he feels these traits are unreachable (similar to the saying "his head is in the clouds"). In a more metaphorical take on the quote, saying hope is a mythical creature could also mean he has to chase it down, and just when he thinks he has a grasp on it, it turns out to be fake. This might partially explain why Junior is afraid to leave the reservation; he fears the hope Mr. P described to him, which he would have to give up so much for (his culture, family life and home), would be a dead end. On page 43, Mr. P tells Junior, “’You’re going to find more and more hope the farther and farther you walk away from this sad, sad, sad reservation.” In response to this piece of advice, Junior draws a cartoon featuring him staring fearfully towards “Hope”, an empty question mark. Behind him is the “rez”, which he so desperately wants to escape, but there is also “home” as well, which he feels is harder to leave behind. Although “hope” is something he wants to find, or find more of, it is also unknown territory, filled with white people and therefore dangerous for him to cross into. When he arrives at Reardan, his suspicions that he would be surrounded by bullying is confirmed; therefore, this foreshadows Junior will start to increasingly believe that “hope” is something only white people can have. As for finding hope in Reardan, being surrounded by a different environment might stunt his chances at benefiting from switching schools. 

Does Junior’s search for his identity have anything to do with finding hope? Given this glimpse at his first encounters with the characters of Reardan, do you think Junior’s experience at this new school will help him gain hope? Based off Junior’s description of the white school, do you think hope is “white” like he asks himself in the quote? Is Junior confusing “hope” with “privileged” when tying it to white people? If so, what do you define as “hope” and what do you define as “privileged”? Do the two overlap? Explain.