The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian

by 

Sherman Alexie

                  PLANNING:

Summary 1: Chapters 1 - 12

Summary 2: Chapters 13 - 21

Summary 3: Chapters 22 - 30 

CH: 1-3

Why does Junior belong to the “Black-Eye-of-the-Month Club”? 

Why did he get just half amount of Novocain from his dentists? 

What's Junuior's hobby? 

Who is Oscar and what is his destiny? 

Who is Rowdy? 

Junior: Native American, reservation

big head - water on brain, bad eyes (thick glasses), seizures, too many teeth, thin body, big hands and legs

White dentits: once in a year, all extra teeth pulled out at once, Natives don't feel the same pain as whites

Oscar: Junior's dog, family poor, hungry, gets sick - no money for vet, father shoots him

Rowdy: bes friend, mad, father beats him, alcoholist, revenge - three guys who atacked Junior, R. shaved their eyebrows and cut their beards, important person for J. 

Drawings: to become rich and leave rez

Who is Rowdy?

1. Junior's best friend
2. Junior's math teacher
3. Junior's pet dog
4. Junior's older brother

What's Junior's hobby?

1. Playing basketball
2. Singing in the choir
3. Collecting stamps
4. Drawing cartoons

Why did Junior get just half amount of Novocain from his dentists?

1. Junior forgot to ask for more.
2. Junior was allergic to Novocain.
3. The dentist ran out of Novocain.
4. The dentist thought Native Americans don't feel pain.

Why does Junior belong to the “Black-Eye-of-the-Month Club”?

1. He was born with a black eye.
2. He lost a bet.
3. He was punched by a student.
4. He joined the club for fun.

CH 4- 6: 

Who is Mr P and why did Junior throw a book into his face? 

What did Mr P and Junior talk about that Mr P had to cry? 

Who has the most hope according to Junior's parents? 

Mr P: white geometry teacher, gets J a textbook signed by his mom Agnes Adams 30 years ago, Junior gets angry - being taught from such old books

Junior suspended, Mr P in front of their house, J is the second smartest kid (the first was his sis Mary) now is J the smartest, he mustn't give up just like Rowdy or Mary, he had to leave rez

White people, that's why Rowdy wants to go to white school immediately

According to Junior's parents, who has the most hope?

1. White people
2. Native Americans
3. Asians
4. African Americans

Who is Mr P?

1. Junior's dad
2. Junior's best friend
3. A character in a comic book
4. A teacher at Reardan High School

Ch 7 - 9:

Why did Rowdy punch Junior? 

How did Junior get into his 'weirdest fistfight of his life?

How does Eugene react when he sees Junior's new school?  

J says he wants to go to Reardan (white school), R hates that school, they lost with them in basketball, football, baseball

7th dat in white school - boys - rasistic jokes - Roger gets punched, Junior wants tp know rules (11 rules in rez - always expected to fight), Roger confused - which rules? 

Eugene - father's best friend, bringing Junior to school on his motorbike, Eugene impressed, he couldn't make it himself, Roger compliments his motorbike

CH 10 - 12

Who is Dawn? 

How did Junior dress for Halloween at school? 

Why is Junior feeling more and more lonely? 

Dawn - girl on the rez, beuatiful dancer, Junior in love with her (he's 12), sharing this with Rowdy - R says Dawn doesn't care about Junior, J cries - asks R to keep this secret

Homeless - Penelope too, raising money for the homeless together, Junior robbed on the rez

White school - he is Native American, on the rez he is more 'white', smart but underestimated by classmates, correcting geography teacher - Gordy says Junior is right

Ch 13 - 15: 

What was in Mary's e-mail to Junior?

Why do Native Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, according to Junior's father? 

Is Junior's father a likeable person in the book? 

In what way does Penelope remind Junior of his father? 

Why is Penelope interested in Junior, according to you? 

Mary is in love with her husband, she loves Junior too, she is happy on the Montana rez, she enjoyed her honeymoon, rode a horse, looking for a job..almost too pisitive..is it all true? story about bread - the only thing which is better on Spokane rez than on Montana

Natives should be thankful that white people didn't kill them all (joke) 

Penelope is bulimic (Junior heard her throw up in a toilet), she looks for excuses just like Junior's father who is alcoholic

Penelope - kind, her father extremely racist - to make him angry

NOT -alcoholic, homophobe child abuser - being hated he hates all others 

CH 16 - 18: 

Whom did Junior ask for advice related to Penelope?

Who lends Junior money for dinner after the Winter Formal? 

Why do people on the rez call Junior an 'apple'? 

Rowdy and Gordy - both harsh, Rowdy - e-mail, fed up with natives who see white girls as trophies, Gordy - research about Mexican girls missing - Junior is racist too

Junior invites Penelope, has just 5 dollars, wears father's suit, Roger lends him 40 dollars

apple - red on the outside, white on the inside