On pages 82-84 in the book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian, Junior explains to the reader that he feels extremely lonely. He does this by telling the reader that he doesn't feel like a normal human. He says, "In fact, if you think of everybody with a body, soul, and brain as human, then I was the opposite of human,"(83). He feels this way because everyone else does their best to stay away from him. No one talks or looks at him at all in school. At first, he compares himself to a zombie, but then realizes that everyone would actually notice him if he was a zombie. So then he corrects himself and compares himself to nothing. Loneliness comes from your heart needing company. The disappearance of Rowdy (their relationship) does not help the situation at all. Rowdy was his only friend, therefore he no longer has any friends to keep is heart accompanied. One day during science class, Junior actually gains the guts to participate in class, but he actually speaks out against the teacher. Junior explains to the science teacher, Mr. Dodge, that petrified wood actually isn't real wood. He continues to explain how minerals take the place of wood. Mr. Dodge is furious because Junior is contradicting him and doesn't believe a word that Junior says. The class laughs at Junior after Mr. Dodge says this to him, "Where did you learn this fact? On the reservation? Yes, we all know there's so much amazing science on the reservation." This makes Junior feel even more lonely/apart from everyone else. Later on in the class, the "class genius", Gordy, lets the class know that Junior is actually correct. After class, Junior says thanks to Gordy for sticking up for him but Gordy is nasty and doesn't accept Junior's thanks. This makes him feel even more lonely because Mr. Dodge thanked Gordy for correcting him and doesn't even say a word to Junior.
What do you think Junior could do to attract some of the kids' attention?
What do you think Junior could do to fit into the Reardan community a little bit more?
Do you think that if Rowdy had transferred to Reardan, Junior would feel as lonely? Why?
Do you think that Gordy and Junior's relationship would have became stronger if he had just said no problem? If so, how so?
How does loneliness affect Junior's identity?
I think that Junior is feeling this way because his life-long best friend is mad at him. I think if Rowdy went to Reardan, everything would be different. I think Junior would feel less lonely and more at home at Reardan because he knows Rowdy would have his back. Junior is always thinking about Rowdy. For example, Junior tells the reader about the time when he told Rowdy about his crush. Junior says, "...he didn't tell anybody. Rowdy was my secret keeper" (76). I think Junior is torn because he wants Rowdy to be his friend again, but it is also really important to him to be at Reardan. Junior also says, "I wanted to ask Rowdy for his advice" (81). Junior misses having somebody to talk to and he feels so alone.
ReplyDeleteI think that Junior is lonely because he has no one to comfort him or confess to. He probably feels cornered to because he has nowhere to go. I think if Rowdy had transferred to Reardan it would have just made things worse because Rowdy would have gotten in trouble and kick out and Junior would feel worse. I think at some point Rowdy will forgive him but until then I think it would be better to stay separate.
ReplyDeleteIf Rowdy had ended up going to Reardan, I think that Junior would definitely not feel as lonely. If Junior had not gone to Reardan himself an stayed on the reservation, he would still have only one friend (Rowdy). So even though if Rowdy went to Reardan too, they would both only have each other, and it would be as if they were back home on the reservation. I also think that if Gordy had just accepted Junior's compliment, than they would not have become friends. Junior realizes that he wanted to be friends with Gordy because he realized their differences between each other, and also their similarities. But if Gordy was going to act differently, than Junior would not have been able to relate those differences and similarities in the same way, which could have ruined their friendship together. Junior's identity is affected in this case because when he's going to a new school, and he's an extreme outlier compared to the rest of the Reardan kids, he would get the reputation of the lonely Indian who has no friends, which is not the reputation Junior seems to want from the other students at Reardan.
ReplyDeleteJunior is a unique kid with a lot of traits that make him stand out in public. For example, he has humugous feet and a skinny frame, therefore I think that just being at Rearden will get peoples attention. Not only that, being the only Indian kid at his school will get him a lot of attention. If Rowdy were to have transferred to Rearden I think that Junior wouldn't be as lonely. The only reason why Junior isn't lonely is because of his family and Rowdy, everybody else thinks he is weird and doesn't want to be friends with him. Because Junior is going to Rearden his family won't be their anymore, that leaves Rowdy.
ReplyDeleteIn life to be successful you must have a mentor/older brother, for Junior that was Rowdy; Rowdy was his best and only friend who protected him from the dangers of the outside world so if Rowdy had transferred to Reardan High School than Junior would not feel as lonely because he would have a friend to guide him through his difficulties. Instead of feeling lonely would have a consultant to protect and guide him through tough times.
ReplyDeleteI think it is actually important for Junior to be kept away from Rowdy during this transitional time to Reardan. Junior says on page 68, "I realized how much of my self-worth, my sense of safety, was based on Rowdy's fists." Isn't it important for Junior to establish independence if he wanted to find out who he himself is as a person? Wasn't the whole point of switching to the Reardan school to find hope and find his own identity? I feel that with Rowdy at Reardan, Junior wouldn't be able to move on from his previous reservation life because he would want to keep their friendship intact. Although Junior is unquestionably lonely without Rowdy, severing nearly all attachments from the rez will help him explore new interests and meet new people like Gordy. Rowdy would have most likely thought Gordy is weird, so Junior might have felt pressured not to talk to Gordy even if he wanted to. I think Gordy's presence in the novel will help make up the loneliness Junior feels for Rowdy's absence, at least for the time being.
ReplyDeleteIf Rowdy had come to Reardan, Junior would not feel lonely because he would have a friend to guide and help him. Rowdy was Juniors one friend and if he had come to Reardan, Junior wouldn't have discovered how smart he is and how to stick up for himself. I think that if Rowdy hadn't stayed at the reservation Junior wouldn't have learned to grow off of being let down. The reason why Junior decided to go to Reardan is because he was one of the only people left on the reservation with hope and if Rowdy went to Reardan with him then he would lose his hope because of Rowdy's impact on him. Without Rowdy getting mad at Junior and attacking him, Junior would have never learned how much he can do alone and how to stand up for himself.
ReplyDeleteIf Rowdy had transferred to Reardan, Junior would feel less lonely. "I wished Rowdy was still my friend. I could have sent him after Roger. It would have been like King Kong battling Godzilla" (67). Junior depends a lot on Rowdy to defend him, and if Rowdy had been there, Junior would have felt less scared. He even states that "I realized how much of my self-worth, my sense of safety, was based on Rowdy's fists" (68). He knows that his confidence is affected by when Rowdy is there or not. If Rowdy is by his side all the time, Junior’s self-worth, sense of safety, confidence, and happiness would all be increased. He would have a friend in the tough community of Reardan, and he wouldn’t feel as lonely. Something that could go wrongly if Rowdy was there is that possibly, because of his fighting skills, the other white boys would take him in, leaving Junior outside of their circle. That would make Junior feel more lonely, but either way, Rowdy isn’t there, and Junior is left to defend himself and his identity alone.
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ReplyDeleteI think Junior could do something really smart or really stupid to get the kids attention. To fit in he should make a friend or two. That always helps everybody fit in to a new situation/community. Junior would not feel lonely at all if Rowdy transfered to Reardan. Rowdy was his best friend until Arnold told him he was leaving him to go to a mostly white school. I think Gordy's relationship with Arnold is really strong and that has helped him fit in. Loneliness does not affect his identity because he doesn't have an identity to get affected by anything.
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