Chapter 1-3
In the chapters one to three of the novel "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time-Indian" by Sherman Alexie the main character Junior introduces himself and describes his life in a reservation and his friend Rowdy.
In the first chapter the main character shows the reader about his physical problems. There is “water in his brain” and he had seizures caused by this. He is boss eyed and he has big ugly glasses. Because he has 42 teeth the doctor has to pull out ten of them at one time. On account of this he stutters and lisps. He is very skinny and has big feet. He draws cartoons because this is the best method to communicate.
He is a member of a poor family. In chapter 2 he shows the drawbacks of poorness. One day his dog Oscar gets very ill. Junior says to his parents that they must go to the veterinary, but because his family doesn’t have any money for the vet Oskar is shot. This is the worst effect of poorness.
In the first chapter the main character shows the reader about his physical problems. There is “water in his brain” and he had seizures caused by this. He is boss eyed and he has big ugly glasses. Because he has 42 teeth the doctor has to pull out ten of them at one time. On account of this he stutters and lisps. He is very skinny and has big feet. He draws cartoons because this is the best method to communicate.
He is a member of a poor family. In chapter 2 he shows the drawbacks of poorness. One day his dog Oscar gets very ill. Junior says to his parents that they must go to the veterinary, but because his family doesn’t have any money for the vet Oskar is shot. This is the worst effect of poorness.
In the third chapter Junior describes his best friend Rowdy. Rowdy protects Junior every time. Rowdy is a goon and he often has troubles with his parents. On account of this Rowdy nearly stays with Junior the whole day. One day Rowdy and Junior go to the powwow. There Rowdy smashes a car and Junior was teased by the Andruss brothers. For revenge Rowdy cuts the braids of the Andruss’ brothers.
Chapter 4+5
Chapter four and five informs you about Junior’s high school, his teacher Mr. P, his first nose he has ever broken, his sister and masturbating.
In the fourth chapter the main character tells us about his first day at high school. He is very happy and excited. His teacher in mathematics is Mr. P. He is an old strange person. A funny thing is that he sometimes forgets to come to school. Mostly he is sleeping in front of the TV.
The high school is very poor and so the students have to study from the same old books their parents did. He wants to play high school basketball with his best friend Rowdy. But he is afraid of losing him, because maybe Rowdy will start hanging about with other older people.
The waterhead loves to masturbate. He is very proud of it and he thinks that everybody does that.
In the fourth chapter the main character tells us about his first day at high school. He is very happy and excited. His teacher in mathematics is Mr. P. He is an old strange person. A funny thing is that he sometimes forgets to come to school. Mostly he is sleeping in front of the TV.
The high school is very poor and so the students have to study from the same old books their parents did. He wants to play high school basketball with his best friend Rowdy. But he is afraid of losing him, because maybe Rowdy will start hanging about with other older people.
The waterhead loves to masturbate. He is very proud of it and he thinks that everybody does that.
Junior describes his sister Mary with a cartoon. For example, she looks like Jennifer Lopez and has a lightning-bolt tattoo on the back of her neck. She hasn’t got a job.
In chapter five Junior talks about the first nose he has ever broken and the dreams of his sister.
Junior aims with the old book at Mr. P, hits him and breaks his nose. Therefore he is suspended from school. His whole family is disappointed in him, because that is the first time junior hits somebody. A week later he meets Mr. P. The teacher is sorry that the school has suspended him. Also Mr. P forgives Junior, because the teachers were supposed to kill Indian culture when he started teaching there.
In this long conversation Junior finds out that his sister wants to be a writer. He is very surprised.
In the end Mr. P tells him that he should leave the reservation, because Junior is the only one, who hasn’t given up. Everybody in the rez has given up except Junior. Then Mr. P begins to cry.
Chapter 6+7
Chapter 6 and 7 are about the way that Junior tells his idea of transferring schools to his parents and his best friends Rowdy and how they react.
When Junior’s parents get home he doesn’t know how to start explaining his plans. Junior knows that the wish of transferring to the school of Reardan is the weirdest thing he ever really wanted, because Reardan is a rich, white farm town which is 20 miles away from the reservation and actually everybody hates Indians there. For Junior the students of Reardan are the best and he also wants to be good at something so he asks his parents for changing schools now. His parents support his idea and that makes him happy because he understands that his parents want a better life for him than they have had.
But there are some problems which come with his wish. On the one hand his parents don’t know how to get their son to school and on the other hand Junior is afraid of being tortured by the other kids on the reservation and so he tries to figure out what Rowdy thinks about his plans and whether he might come with him. When Junior tells his only friend about the transfer Rowdy doesn’t believe him, but after Junior assures that this is the truth his friend gets really mad. Rowdy knows of no reason for him to go to this school and so he starts believing that Junior thinks he deserves better than he does and that he wants to leave him behind. Junior loves his best friend and so he tries to comfort him after they both have started crying, but for that Junior gets a punch from Rowdy and he knows that his best friend has become his worst enemy.
Chapter 8+9
Chapter eight and nine informs you about Junior at his new high school in Reardan, his first punch in the face from the big guy Roger, his grandma and how he is respected.
In the eighth chapter the main character describes his first day in Reardan. He waits outside the high school with a black eye. It was Rowdy’s good-bye punch. Then the white kids begin arriving for school and Junior observes them. They stare at him like he is a UFO or Bigfoot.
The other students in his class and the teacher look hard at him. But one girl, with blond hair named Penelope talks to him. When Junior lets her know his name the other people laugh because nobody is called Junior in Reardan. Suddenly the teacher asks who Arnold Spirit is and this is Junior’s right name.
The other boys call Junior “Chief” and Junior thinks those monsters are going to kill him. At lunchtime Roger the Giant and his gang come to Junior and Roger tells Junior a joke: whether he knows that Indians are living proof that niggers fuck buffalo. It is the most racist thing Junior has ever heard and suddenly Junior punches Roger in his face. Roger doesn’t want a fight with Junior and so he and his gang go away.
In chapter nine he reports you something about his grandma and that he is respected in this high school. Junior is at his grandmother’s and tells her that he hit Roger in his face. But his grandmother isn’t angry. She explains that Roger is the alpha male at school and Junior is the new dog there. When Junior punched the alpha dog in the face they started to respect him.
The second day Eugene, the best friend of Junior’s dad gets him to school with his bike. In school he ignores the stares of his classmates and goes to the front door. There is Roger and he talks with Junior and Junior knows that Roger respects him.
Chapter 10-12
Chapter 10-12
The chapters ten to twelve are about Junior’s old flame and his new one, how he finds a new friend and about Mary’s wedding.
In chapter ten Junior remembers when he was twelve. He loved an Indian girl named Dawn but she ignored him.
Chapter eleven talks about the Halloween party at school. Penelope and Junior wear the same costume so Junior makes a deal to send money to poor people. He goes out trick or treating on the rez. On the way home some boys beat him up and steal his money. On the next morning he shows his empty hands to Penelope but she suggests sending her money and also writing his name on it. Junior falls in love with her and wants her to fall in love with him.
In chapter twelve Junior feels lonely and depressed. One day his Geology teacher Mr. Dodge says something wrong and Junior corrects him so Mr. Dodge gets angry. But Gordy, the class genius, confirms it. Mr. Dodge gives thanks to Gordy but not to Junior.
Every day Junior gets to school by another way, mostly he hitchhikes. Sometimes he doesn’t get to school at all.
Once he comes home his mother tells him that his sister has married a poker player and now she begins a new life in Montana and realizes her dream. On the next day he goes to Gordy and asks him whether he wants to be his friend. So they become friends and Gordy teaches Junior how to approach books and life.
Chapter 13-15
The chapters 13 - 15 are about Junior's personal Thanksgiving and how he gets closer to his new heartthrob Penelope.
Chapter 13 is a letter from Mary to Junior. She raves about how beautiful it is in Montana (much better than in the Spokane rez) and how she loves her new living conditions. She seems to be all happy.
The 14th chapter describes a Thanksgiving celebration at Junior’ s home. He doesn’t really feel in a party mode because he misses Rowdy who was with him at this day every year (until their argument)so he decides to draw a cartoon for Rowdy that shows them both in a superhero pose and gives it to him. Rowdy's reaction is not very polite but Junior knows that Rowdy still respects his comics (and maybe even him).
In the 15th chapter he is back at Reardan and sits in a boring history lesson; he leaves the classroom and goes to the toilet and after he has done his “business” he realises a crying voice. He catches Penelope crying after she vomited into the toilet. She tells Junior about her bulimia but that doesn’t disturb Junior and even her racist dad can’t keep him away from her. They become a couple and Junior gets a lot more popular at school. They also talk about their dreams and Arnold falls more and more in love with Penelope.
Chapter 16-17
Chapter 16 is about how Junior asks Rowdy for council in his relationship to Penelope, but he begins to get mad because of his question.When he asks Gordy for advice he just learns that with women are privileged.
In chapter “dance, dance, dance” Junior goes to prom in school with Penelope. Junior explains that no one in the whole school knows that he is poor. They think the native population in the US is rich because of their casinos. He hopes that Penelope does not ask for a photo with him, because he has not enough money for that. Everything goes well until the other kids ask Penelope to go to a diner to eat something. So because Junior does not want to loose Penelope he must go to the diner, too. Junior, Penelope and the other kids go to this diner. During the meal Junior visits the toilet because he has not enough money to pay for the food. When Roger comes to look after Junior, he tells Roger that he forgot his wallet. Roger borrows Junior 40 Dollars. At the end of the evening Roger drives everyone back to the gym. Suddenly Penelope asks Junior if he is poor. Junior cannot lie to her and tells her the truth. Penelope begins to cry when Junior tells her that he will have to walk home. She suggests that Roger drives him home and that they can become friends.
In chapter “dance, dance, dance” Junior goes to prom in school with Penelope. Junior explains that no one in the whole school knows that he is poor. They think the native population in the US is rich because of their casinos. He hopes that Penelope does not ask for a photo with him, because he has not enough money for that. Everything goes well until the other kids ask Penelope to go to a diner to eat something. So because Junior does not want to loose Penelope he must go to the diner, too. Junior, Penelope and the other kids go to this diner. During the meal Junior visits the toilet because he has not enough money to pay for the food. When Roger comes to look after Junior, he tells Roger that he forgot his wallet. Roger borrows Junior 40 Dollars. At the end of the evening Roger drives everyone back to the gym. Suddenly Penelope asks Junior if he is poor. Junior cannot lie to her and tells her the truth. Penelope begins to cry when Junior tells her that he will have to walk home. She suggests that Roger drives him home and that they can become friends.
Chapter 18-19
Chapter “Do not trust your computer” reports that Arnold tries to contact Rowdy with a picture of himself via email. Rowdy answers with a picture of his bare butt.
When Rowdy looks at this picture Gordy arrives. So Junior tells him about Rowdy and the end of their friendship, but also that the other Indians think that he is a traitor. Gordy explains to him that weird ones are always the losers.
In chapter “My sister send me a letter” Merry describes her new life in Montana, her new home (which is actually caravan) and that she is not able to find a job because of her missing work experience.
Chapter 20-22
Chapter twenty, twenty-one and twenty-two inform you about Junior`s first game in the Reardan basketball team against Wellpinit High School, about Junior´s Christmas present from his father and about the dead grandmother of Junior, who was amazing.
In chapter twenty Mr Arnold compares his first meeting with Junior's mother to basketball. Junior's dad thinks that you have to dream big to get big.
On Junior´s first day of practice in the Reardan basketball team they have to run one hundred laps around the gym. In contrast to twelve other boys, Junior finishes the race. Then they play full-court one-on-one. Junior plays against Roger. He is good after some mistakes so the coach says to him that he is the best shooter who has ever played for him and that he is going to be his secret weapon.
The first game of the season is against Wellpinit High School. All former teammates ignore Junior. Roger looks at him and whistles. Halfway through the first quarter the coach sends Junior in. As he runs onto the court somebody hits him in the forehead. Junior bleeds and Eugene, an emergency medical technician, looks at the wound in the locker room. Eugene gives him three stitches and then Junior is sent in. When Junior jumps into the air, Rowdy smashes his elbow into Junior´s head and knocks him unconscious. Wellpinit wins by thirty points and Junior has a minor concussion. Later that night the coach comes into Junior´s room. The coach agrees to the statement that a man is as good as he wants to be, regardless of the aim and thinks this is true for Junior.
In chapter twenty-one Junior´s dad runs away with all of the money on Christmas Eve and comes back on January 2nd. He uses the money to drink alcohol. Junior is angry about that but he does not tell him. Nevertheless, his father saved five dollars. He gives this money to Junior and wishes him a “Merry Christmas”.
In chapter twenty-two Junior says how much he loves his family. He is very proud that his parents listen to him.
Junior also loves his grandmother because she was tolerant. She accepted gay people, talked to invisible people, supported Junior in everything and was powwow-famous. Junior´s grandmother is killed by a drunk driver. Her last request is that they forgive her murderer and her family respects her wishes.
In chapter twenty Mr Arnold compares his first meeting with Junior's mother to basketball. Junior's dad thinks that you have to dream big to get big.
On Junior´s first day of practice in the Reardan basketball team they have to run one hundred laps around the gym. In contrast to twelve other boys, Junior finishes the race. Then they play full-court one-on-one. Junior plays against Roger. He is good after some mistakes so the coach says to him that he is the best shooter who has ever played for him and that he is going to be his secret weapon.
The first game of the season is against Wellpinit High School. All former teammates ignore Junior. Roger looks at him and whistles. Halfway through the first quarter the coach sends Junior in. As he runs onto the court somebody hits him in the forehead. Junior bleeds and Eugene, an emergency medical technician, looks at the wound in the locker room. Eugene gives him three stitches and then Junior is sent in. When Junior jumps into the air, Rowdy smashes his elbow into Junior´s head and knocks him unconscious. Wellpinit wins by thirty points and Junior has a minor concussion. Later that night the coach comes into Junior´s room. The coach agrees to the statement that a man is as good as he wants to be, regardless of the aim and thinks this is true for Junior.
In chapter twenty-one Junior´s dad runs away with all of the money on Christmas Eve and comes back on January 2nd. He uses the money to drink alcohol. Junior is angry about that but he does not tell him. Nevertheless, his father saved five dollars. He gives this money to Junior and wishes him a “Merry Christmas”.
In chapter twenty-two Junior says how much he loves his family. He is very proud that his parents listen to him.
Junior also loves his grandmother because she was tolerant. She accepted gay people, talked to invisible people, supported Junior in everything and was powwow-famous. Junior´s grandmother is killed by a drunk driver. Her last request is that they forgive her murderer and her family respects her wishes.
Chapter 23 and 24
Chapter 23 and 24 are about the death of two important people in Junior’s live, his grandmother and Eugene and about his way out of the depression.
In Chapter 23 Junior tells us above the funeral of Grandmother Spirit, almost two thousand Indians show up, but not his big sister, because she has not enough money to come home.
The only good thing is that they leave him alone and don’t bother Junior. Everyone tells stories about her and then the rich white man Ted appears. He talks about love for the Indians and their culture and how he got a stolen powwow dance costume from the Spokane’s. He thinks this woman’s suit belonged to the deceased grandmother. But Mrs. Spirit clears up the matter and suddenly he drives away with his car, because his inquiries were wrong. After a moment of silence the Indians start laughing like crazy. At this moment Junior realizes that he is also a member of this tribe; that they live and die together.
Chapter 24 begins a few days after Valentine’s Day with the death of Eugene; he was killed by his friend Bobby. Eugene was one of Junior’s best friends and this was a hard calamity for him and his family. First they lost their grandma and then him. To deal with their grief, Junior's Dad goes on a drinking binge, and his Mom goes to church and Arnold feels helpless and stupid and angry, especially with God. So he falls into a big depression and loses his own motive force. He doubts himself, his family, his friends and God. After missing fifteen or twenty days of school, Junior returns to Reardan, where his social studies teacher mocks him, but the Indian boy is too broken to fight back. However the whole class defends him; they stand up one by one, drop their textbooks, and walk out in protest. Before, he believed that the world is separated into two tribes: “Black and White”, but now he realizes that the people are divided in assholes and non-assholes. At the end of the chapter Junior begins to make lists, looking for pieces of joy in his life.
Chapter 25 and 26
Chapter twenty-five and twenty-six inform you about the match between Rowdy and Junior at basketball and the email between them.
In chapter twenty five Junior realizes that he is becoming one of the best basketball players in Reardan. He guesses that it is because of his confidence and expectations. But before every match he is very excited, so he is a yucker, because he always throws up before a kick-off.
The Reardan team lost the last game against Wellpinit, but they have won all other matches. In an interview before a home match against Wellpinit he said that he always located himself between Wellpinit and Reardan, between the past and the future and between his home and his school. But when the coach decides that Junior is his secret weapon and that he would play in the game, Junior is very proud of it.
In the presence of his parents and many other viewers he guards his best friend Rowdy at the match. He remembers Eugene and his grandmother. But also the hope, the aim to defeat Rowdy and the words of the coach “You can do it!” help him in his situation. Everybody is surprised when they see the high jump and the fabulous action of Junior towards Rowdy. Although Junior only gets three points, he is very proud and in the end Reardan wins the game. But when he sees how sad the teammates of Wellpinit are, he is ashamed, because he knows how spoiled their life is and that the Reardan team damaged their hopes and dreams because of the defeat.
Because of this, Junior wants to apologize to Rowdy in an email in chapter twenty-six. But Rowdy responds in an aggressive way. But Junior is happy that Rowdy speaks with him, for the first time, after a long time.
Chapter 27-30
Chapter twenty-seven till thirty inform you about the death of Arnold's sister, his love to the rez and Junior`s friendship with Rowdy.
In chapter twenty-seven Junior realizes that Rowdy is friendlier than before the match once he has read Rowdy's answer to the email he had sent him. That makes him realy happy because he had missed his best friend.
In chapter twenty-eight Junior is being told that his sister has died. The secretary takes him out of the chemistry class. Junior keeps on asking what has happened. Mrs. Warren only says that his sister has died. Junior is shocked and thinks that Mary was murdered. He runs out into the snow and waits until his father picks him up. His father informs him that his sister died at a fire. He realizes that alcohol was to blame. Arnold realizes that the biggest difference between Indians and white people is that Indians see a lot more funerals.
In chapter twenty-nine Junior gets his final freshman year report card. His family goes to the cemetery an cleans graves. The Indians know how to deal with the dead. His father plays saxophone and his mother prepares a picnic. Junior is proud of his achievement. He realizes that he is a Spokane Indian.
In the last chapter Junior learns to appreciate the rez. He now understands that even the rez has a lot of nice things. He begins to calm down and tries to establish contact to Rowdy. He also begins to miss his white friends. The contact with Rowdy is growing rapidly. They climb on a very tall tree together. Finally, they play basketball together for hours. The quarrels are forgotten and the old friendship begins to ignite again.
