Part Time Indian Journal 3... Continued

Race

The only other Indian at Reardon is the mascot. Do you think Indian mascots are inherently disrespectful? Here’s what author Sherman Alexie had to say about the topic. Do you agree? Disagree? Why?

Penelope starts dating Arnold to make her dad, Earl, angry. How do our parents’ prejudices affect our lives?

Books

Arnold makes a list of his favorite books on page 176-177. Learn about Arnold’s favorite books. Which one would you be most likely to read? Why might you find it compelling?

Tolerance

Arnold’s grandmother is described as “tolerant.” What does it mean to be tolerant, and is it even a good thing? Review this article and respond.

Part Time Indian Journal 3 Ideas

Injustice?

“Well, this article said that over two hundred Mexican girls have dissapeared in the last three years in that same part of the country. And nobody says much about that. Ands that’s racist. The guy who wrote the article says we care more about beautiful white girls than they do about everybody else on the planet. White girls are privileged. They’re damsels in distress.”

Consider doing further research and saying something about missing/murdered Native American Women:

Here’s a good one from a non-biased, fact reporting news source, The Associated Press

Here’s another in Teen Vogue. And another… And another….

Work Ethic

“The quality of a man’s life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence, regardless of his chosen field of endeavor.”

Consider what Mike Rowe has to say about this with his SWEAT pledge. Would you sign this? Why or why not? Can you tell a story that reveals your commitment to SWEAT?

Individuality

“Well, life is a constant struggle against being an individual and being a member of the community.”

What does Henry David Thoreau have to say about individuality? Do you agree or disagree? Is it possible to be both an individual and a member of the community? How?

Part Time Indian Superhero Class Writing

Part Time Indian Reading Journal 2 Chapters 3-6

Guilty Pleasures

• We see that Rowdy loves old comics like Casper and Richie Rich, but is ashamed of it. An “amateur” is defined as “someone who loves or is fond of anything” What do you love or fond of? Is it a “guilty pleasure” like Rowdy’s love for kid’s comics?

For further reading related to “guilty pleasure” please see the following. Please respond

with your thoughts.

Further, Douglas Wilson once said “There is no such thing as a guilty pleasure.” Some

people, much like the author of the link above, believe that it’s perfectly okay for tough guys to love My Little Pony. As long as it’s not hurting someone else, who cares?

Engage with this idea.

“Old School”

• Arnold goes ballistic when he sees his mother’s name in his Geometry textbook, indicating the book is over 30 years old. Is it a big deal? Have you ever experienced anything like this in school? Chocolate cake in a computer? Respond. Or, also respond to the news story about Blake Shelton’s textbook.

• Mr. P admits to beating kids with the “ugly stick.” What are your thoughts on corporal punishment?  In the 90s, a story of an American teen facing caning in Singapore reopened the discussion of corporal punishment.  

Race and Culture

• What is the definition of racism? Is there any actions in the book that have been motivated by racism? Explain your reasoning.

• Mr. P Admits that it was partly his job to kill Indian culture. What do you think about kind of cultural assimilation? For further reading:

Indian Boarding Schools - History.com

Interesting Indian Teachers - JSTOR

Teachers

• Mr. P is a memorable teacher for Arnold. Mr. P isn’t necessarily a great teacher, but he wins Arnold’s respect for giving him good advice. Have you ever gotten good advice from a teacher? Have you ever had a teacher that was memorable like Mr. P?

The Rez

• We have been watching the documentary series 30 Days “Life on an Indian Reservation.” How has the documentary backed up what we have learned about rez life in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian? How is the documentary challenging what we have learned about life on the rez in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian?

Hope

• Respond to Arnold’s ideas about hope. “... I do know that hope for me is like some mythical creature.” Emily Dickinson wrote about hope.  Respond with a metaphor of your own. What is hope?

• We listened to the heavy metal song “Not My Master” in class. Connect the lyrics to the book The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian.

Race… Again

• Yesterday we read about Arnold’s “Incident” in the chapter “How To Fight Monsters.” Recall a moment when you encountered an “incident.”

• Many students connected The X-Men with Arnold. Explain.

• And just for fun here’s a message of hope from the one and only, Stan Lee.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian Journal Chapters 1-2

Some Points of Interest Thus Far…

Respond, when possible, with stories about how you can personally relate.

On Bullying

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

• “You wouldn’t think there is anything life threatening about speech impediments, but let me tell you, there is nothing more dangerous than being a kid with a stutter and a lisp.”

• “Everybody on the rez calls me retard about twice a day.” … Further reading on why the word “retard” is taboo.

• Respond to what the Government says about bullying.

Health

• “...the Indian Health Service only funded major dental work once a year, so I had to get all 10 teeth pulled in one day.” Research and respond to the story of Suzie Walking Bear Yellowtail. Do you think she’d approve of the IHS’s treatment of Arnold?

Hobbies

• “... when you draw a picture, everybody can understand it.” Do you agree? Research and respond to the Indian Painted Rocks no doubt done by Arnold’s Ancestors.

• “...my cartoons are tiny little lifeboats.” What is your tiny little lifeboat?

Race

• “Just take a look at the world. Almost all of the rich and famous brown people are artists.” Why do you think this is?  Who is your favorite rich and famous brown person?

• “We indians really should be better liars, considering how often we’ve been lied to.”

Take a moment to appreciate the historical significance of this statement. According to the PWNA, “over 500 treaties were made with Native Americans, primarily for land cessations, but 500 treaties were also broken, changed or nullified when it served the government’s interest.”  

Story of the Broken Treaty of Canandiagua.

The 1972 “Trail of Broken Treaties”

Parents

• “I can’t blame my parents for our poverty because my mother and father are the twin suns around which I orbit and my world would EXPLODE without them.” Respond to the idea that forgiving our parents is one of the hardest things we have to do in life, but necessary on the road to adulthood.    

• “...nobody paid attention to their dreams.” Whose responsibility is it to pay attention to dreams? Can someone help make your dream come true? What is your dream? What help will you need along the way to realize it?

Pets

• “A bullet only costs about two cents, and anybody can afford that.” Is it easier to try and destroy a problem rather than fix it? Can you think of any real life examples of this? Rocket’s story.

• “[Oscar] taught me more than any teachers ever did.” What has your pet taught you? How can this be just as important as what we learn in school?