Arnold Spirit, known as Junior, is the tragically flawed protagonist of Sherman Alexie's novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Junior lives on a Native American reservation known for its violence and alcoholism. He dreams of being something more than the reservation can offer him, so he leaves the reservation school and goes to the all-white school, twenty-two miles away. For the sake of his personal dignity, Junior sacrifices his membership of the Spokane Indian tribe and his relationships with many other characters to better himself educationally and culturally. The tribe ostracizes Junior and he loses any sense of security he may have previously felt. Yet, he had to leave to stand up for his self-worth and live up to his full potential.
Junior's sacrifice for his dignity proves worthy in the end, for he gains knowledge and recognition in a culture beyond that of his tribe. He learns of the world outside of the reservation and grows by discovering the pride he was searching for. He says, "I knew that I was never going to drink...and I was never going to kill myself...and I was going to have a better life out in the white world. I realized that I might be a lonely Indian boy, but I was not alone in my loneliness. There were millions of other Americans who left their birth places in search of a dream. 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" (217). Junior sacrifices so many stable elements of his life to stand up for what he believes in - the fact that he can be more than a poor, drunk, like so many other tribal members were. Although his actions seem selfish, Junior's sacrifice to maintain his dignity benefits others as well.
Junior's best friend, Rowdy, feels trapped within the reservation and thinks he will never be anything more than a poor troubled member of the tribe. Rowdy is furious by Junior's decision to leave and is hostile towards him the whole school year. Eventually, however, Rowdy learns how much the journey changed Junior, and how he was maintaining his dignity by proving his self-worth. Rowdy says, "I always knew you were going to leave. I always knew you were going to leave us behing and travel the world. I had this dream about you a few months ago. You were standing on the Great Wall of China. You looked happy. And I was happy for you" (229). He accepts Junior's decision and feels pride and joy when thinking of his best friend. Rowdy inherits behaviors, simple things like reading and writing, that suggest he is undergoing change as well. Junior's sacrifice of leaving behind his previous lifestyle inspires Rowdy by boosting his confidence that anything can happen and allows Rowdy to obtain his own tragic flaw of the determination for bigger dreams.
Junior's sacrifice for his dignity proves worthy in the end, for he gains knowledge and recognition in a culture beyond that of his tribe. He learns of the world outside of the reservation and grows by discovering the pride he was searching for. He says, "I knew that I was never going to drink...and I was never going to kill myself...and I was going to have a better life out in the white world. I realized that I might be a lonely Indian boy, but I was not alone in my loneliness. There were millions of other Americans who left their birth places in search of a dream. 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" (217). Junior sacrifices so many stable elements of his life to stand up for what he believes in - the fact that he can be more than a poor, drunk, like so many other tribal members were. Although his actions seem selfish, Junior's sacrifice to maintain his dignity benefits others as well.
Junior's best friend, Rowdy, feels trapped within the reservation and thinks he will never be anything more than a poor troubled member of the tribe. Rowdy is furious by Junior's decision to leave and is hostile towards him the whole school year. Eventually, however, Rowdy learns how much the journey changed Junior, and how he was maintaining his dignity by proving his self-worth. Rowdy says, "I always knew you were going to leave. I always knew you were going to leave us behing and travel the world. I had this dream about you a few months ago. You were standing on the Great Wall of China. You looked happy. And I was happy for you" (229). He accepts Junior's decision and feels pride and joy when thinking of his best friend. Rowdy inherits behaviors, simple things like reading and writing, that suggest he is undergoing change as well. Junior's sacrifice of leaving behind his previous lifestyle inspires Rowdy by boosting his confidence that anything can happen and allows Rowdy to obtain his own tragic flaw of the determination for bigger dreams.
