In Sherman Alexies novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, the protagonist, Junior, overcomes many obstacles such as stereotypes, poverty and hopelessness. One of the main obstacles Junior overcomes is stereotypes. Junior is an Indian who lives on a reservation.
Indians have many stereotypes that are towards them. For instance one stereotype is that they have no hope. Junior had a conversation with one of his teachers about his future, which involved him switching schools. Junior knew that if he stayed at the reservation high school he won’t be able to make a future for himself.
So when his parents got home he asked them who has the most hope, “’White people, (Alexie45)’” his parents told him at the same time. Even Juniors parents believe white people have the most hope. When you live on the reservation people make you believe you have nothing, will get nothing and that’s all there ever will be on the reservation. Junior changed that by leaving the reservation school and going to Reardan with all the white people.
Since white people seem to have the most hope, why not go to school with them? Then all the hope they have, you could potentially receive.When he goes there at first it seems hard to adjust but he works that out and makes a future for himself even though he is an Indian living on a reservation. As you see in that quote he doesn’t seem to have much hope in the beginning of the novel, towards the end Junior as the character and us as the reader finally see the obstacles were overcame. Junior points this, “I realized that, sure, I was a Spokane Indian. I belonged to that tribe. But I also belonged to the tribe of American immigrants.
And to the tribe of basketball players. And to the tribe of bookworms, (Alexie217). He finally realizes that there isn’t a certain place or person in life you need to be in life. As you grow up you can adapt and shape your life to fit the future you want. He overcame all those stereotypical obstacles and did what he wanted to do. Junior overcame racism and brought communities together for a better future.
The second obstacle that Junior overcame was poverty. Being an Indian and living on the reservation he grew up with little to no money, and any money they did have his dad drank away. One common thing that Junior heard when he asked his dad for a ride to school in Reardan was, “’Don’t have enough gas,’ Alexie70). ” Junior never let the fact that his parents didn’t have any money stop him from going to school. He would either walk or hitchhike his way there even if he would be late. Junior was very determined to get to school to create that future he was dreaming of.
He didn’t want the kids at Reardan to think of him as any different as they were. One way he did this was by pretending he had money, “My parents gave me just enough money so that I could pretend to have more money than I did, (Alexie119). ” He knew he was poor, but he didn’t want his friends to know he was too. Junior wanted to be like everyone else and just fit in.He didn’t want the kids to think just because he was poor he couldn’t hang out with them. Eventually his friends discover that he has little money.
They didn’t even think about not hanging out with him. They actually offer to help him and give him rides. If anything the fact that they knew more about him made him more popular with them. Junior would walk to school when there was no gas, he would hang out and go places with friends even when they knew he was poor. When Junior lets loose, he becomes a better person an overcomes his poverty with good grade, knowledge, friends and family.
