The Absolutely True Diary

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 4

The Absolutely True Diary

Discussion & MC questions

What is Junior's real name?

Junior refers to his cerebral spinal fluid in his skull as which of the following?

1. BRAIN GREASE
2. BRAIN FREEZE
3. BRAIN DRAIN
4. MONKEY GREASE

Why is Junior a member of 'the Black-Eye-of-the-Month Club’ (p.4)?

1. Because all of the members have black eyes.
2. They call him a retard and he gets beaten up at least once a month.
3. It doesn't have to do with the colour of their eyes. It refers to the colour of their skin.
4. none of the above.

Black-Eye-of-the-Month Club

We get beat up.

At least once a month.

Yep, I belong to the Black-Eye-of-the-Month Club.

Why does Junior draw cartoons? What do the first two cartoons depict(p.5&6)? What does this tell us about Junior?

I draw because words are too unpredictable. I draw because words are too limited. If you speak and write in English, or Spanish, or Chinese, or any other language, then only a certain percentage of human beings will get your meaning.

Junior draws cartoons because words are too unpredictable, too limited and everyone can understand it. The first cartoon depicts Junior and his characteristics. The second cartoon depicts Junior and his hobbies. This tells us what he thinks he is like and what he likes to do.

What's the name of Junior's dog?

1. Rowdy
2. Ted
3. Oscar
4. Penolope

What does Junior identify as the worst thing about being poor?

1. not having enough money, food or drink.
2. not having the respect of other people in your community.
3. not having money to go to the vet with his ill dog
4. none of the above.

So, okay, I'll tell you the worst thing.

Last week, my best friend Oscar got really sick.

"Do you know the worst thing about being poor? Oh, maybe you've done the math in your head and you figure:

Poverty = empty refrigerator + empty stomach.......So hunger is not the worst thing about being poor."

How is poverty a cycle for Junior's family?

poverty cycle

"My parents came from poor people who came from poor people who came from poor people, all the way back to the very first poor people." (p.11)

Rowdy and Junior's relationship

Who beats up Junior at the powwow?

1. Rowdy
2. Eugene
3. Mr P
4. The Andruss Brothers

What does Rowdy do to the Andruss brothers when they beat up Junior?

1. He did nothing and went home.
2. He beat them up and made them apologise to Junior.
3. He paid other people to take revenge.
4. He shaved off their eyebrows and he cut off their braids, because they beat Junior up.

Why is Junior's sister called "Mary Runs Away"?

Mary Runs Away

"She is crazy and random that we call her Mary Runs Away"(28)

What angers Junior about his geometry book?

He didn't like the cover of the book.

His mom's name was written on the book, which means it is 30 years old.

It was "an old, old, old, decrepit geometry book".

He hated geometry so much that he wanted to hit somebody with it

So that means my mother was born an Adams and she was still an Adams when she wrote her name in that book. And she was thirty when she gave birth to me. Yep, so that means I was staring at a geometry book that was at least thirty years older than I was. I couldn't believe it.

Describe the cartoon on page 57. What does this symbolise about Junior's insecurities?

The cartoon describes the difference between a normal white and Indian boy. The cartoon symbolizes Junior’s insecurities because he is insecure about his appearance, mostly with his physique and clothing.

How does Junior try to establish a connection with Penelope? ‘Halloween’, p.77

1. By remarking that they both look like homeless people. And he also decides to collect money for the homeless.
2. By establishing the fact that they both come from poor families, and it would be difficult for them to socialise with others.
3. By reminding her that her origins are Indian and that's why she should stay with him all the time.
4. All of the other options are true.

Why is the novel called The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian? Page 118

A Part-Time Indian

The novel is called 'The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian' because Junior says, ‘I was half Indian in one place and half white in the other. It was like being Indian was my job, but it was only a part-time job.’

Examine the cartoon of Junior's journey to school on page 88. Contrast this to how you normally get to school.

Literature PEE in character analysis

PEE paragraph = method for literary analysis

When analyzing a character: 

- what does the writer tell you about this character = explicit meaning

- what can you read between the lines = implicit meaning

P = Point, 1st sentence: state your main point

E = Evidence, 2nd sentence: evidence in which you refer to the text/use a quotation (to back up your main point)

E = Explanation, last few sentences: explain the evidence, how it relates to your point, what you think about yourself.

Point

Evidence

Explanation