Short Answer Questions
Leslie Silko has said that "If we Indians do not 'represent' our communities as we see them, then others ...will concoct fantasies that pass for the truth." What truths does Alexie represent in his novel about Indian communities?
The audience discovers there are many truths between the ‘Indian communities’ that Sherman Alexie describes in his novel. One truth is the fact that in American Indian communities, inhabitants feel a loss of culture due to the mainstream items that have been introduced by the Americans when they colonised the land. These materialistic items have decreased the traditional values that the tribes learn form previous generations. Additionally, the novel can be compared to the life on Indian
Which character in the novel do you most relate to, and why?
The character that I relate to most in the Sherman Alexie’s The absolutely true story of a Part Time Indian is Junior as I have experienced similar things to what he has experienced. These things include the death of a beloved pet and the transfer of schools. The characteristics of Junior are not comparable however the experiences we share are alike. Subsequently, with the transfer of schools I did not have to undergo the ordeal that Junior went through. However, I can relate to his character as it is hard to let go of familiar places and join a society that you have no idea about. Similarly, Junior and I both share the experience of having lost a family member that we cherish. Although both Junior and I had the same relationship with our respective relatives, out method of overcoming it were different. Junior overcame his loss of his grandmother by mocking God and crying for hours however I overcame the loss of my relative in a different manner. Through the experiences that both Junior and I have faced, it is evident that Junior is the character that I relate to most in Sherman Alexie’s novel.
What does Alexie do best in this novel? (eg. narration, dialogue, characterisation, language use etc.) Give examples from the text on TWO aspects that you think are successful/effective in the novel, and why.
In the novel The Absolutely True Diary of a part time Indian, Alexie