Literature circles- The absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian summariser

Literature circles- The absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Chapter 1 summary

At the beginning of the book  the main character talks about how he was born. He writes that when he was born he had too many fluids in his skull. The doctors had to let the water out of his skull or he would die. The parents agreed solemnly and at the age of 6 months he got operated.

The operation lead to some brain damage and improper growth. His feet were huge, he was short, and he had a really big head. His head was so big, in fact, that the bullies would turn his head and say “I am going to go over there”. They would often punch him in the eye. The main character even wrote that whenever they would punch him, he would re-enter the club called “Black-Eye-of-the- Month Club”.

But in addition to all the negative things, the main character also tells us one positive thing about himself which is that he likes to draw. He tells us that nothing can be better explained and understood than a picture.

Chapter 2 summary

In this chapter the main character mainly talks about how his whole family is poor and how they sometimes skip dinners. He makes an interesting (and sad) statement that when the family has chicken for dinner, he feels like as if god came to aid him.

He also talks about how his best friend, Oscar, is seriously sick. When he touches him, Oscar bursts out in pain. He asked his parents if there was any way to help his friend, but they just shook their heads solemnly. The boy's dad then decides to put an end to the poor kids suffering by shooting him. At first, the main character disagreed, but then saw the reasoning behind it. As he carried Oscar out of his house, he licked him in sign of friendship. He put him down and ran as fast as he could from there. As he started to shed his tears, he heard the sound of a gun ring in the air.

Chapter 3 summary

This chapter is about how the main character goes with his friend Rowdy to a festival called powwow. Rowdy is very impulsive. They watch dancers dancing like chickens and soon get bored. Rowdy goes to get some drinks but trips and falls on the floor. Angry like hell, he grabs a shovel and starts hitting ferociously a van. The main character runs away and soon finds himself bullied by three thirty year old men. Rowdy avenges him by cutting the eyebrows and hair of each one of them.

Rowdy's good side is that he likes comic books. The main character makes comic books for Rowdy and reads them with him.

Chapter 4 summary

This chapter is about how he goes to his first day of high school and goes to his algebra class. The algebra teacher is quite strange. He sometimes doesn’t come to school so someone has to run all the way to his house to remind him that school has started. The main character defines him as sleepy.

The teacher hands out algebra books to the students. The main character suddenly gets furious because these books were old. The book reminds him of his old mother, so he throws it in the teachers face.

Chapter 5 summary

The main character's misbehavior in algebra gets him suspended for a week. He sits on a chair and sees the teacher coming towards his house. The main character slowly walks towards him. The teacher sits down and starts telling him about his sister. He tells him that his sister wanted to be a writer. She wanted to write romance novels. At the end of the teacher’s speech, he tells the main character that he has to leave his home in search of hope.

Chapter 6 summary

In this really brief chapter the main character tells his parents that he wants to change schools. He wants to go to Reardan which is a rich school but which is reserved only for white people. The parents agree.

Chapter 7 summary

In this really brief chapter we finally discover the main character's name: Junior. Junior goes to Rowdy and tells him that he is going to another school. Rowdy's first thought is that Junior is kidding. When he notices his friend's serious face, he get's so angry that he punches Junior in the face and runs away.

Chapter 8 summary

In this chapter, Junior goes for the first time in the “white people” school. There Junior meats a beautiful girl called Penelope. Unfortunately, every child is avoiding him (including Penelope) because he is Indian.

When the homeroom teacher asks his name he sais that his name is Junior, and everybody starts to laugh like crazy. Junior couldn’t figure out why, “Junior” was a common name in his old school.

As the days went by people started to calling him names. Junior ignored them until someone took things too far, a boy said:

“You want to hear a joke?”

“Sure”. Junior said.

“Did you know that Indians are living proof that niggers fuck buffalo?”

Junior got so angry that he punched the guy in the face. The kid was stunned and as he slowly rose from the ground he said to Junior that he was an animal. 

Chapter 9 summary

In this chapter Junior goes home, and tells his grandmother what happened that day. She said that the guy who was bullying Junior now respected him because Junior showed him that he is not afraid on anything.

Junior goes the next day to school, afraid that the guy was going to beat him up badly. But instead, the guy just said hi and walked away.

Chapter 10 summary

In this brief chapter Junior tells us how he loved a bronze girl named Dawn when he was twelve years old. Junior tells to Rowdy his secret. Rowdy said to Junior to forget her because she doesn’t give a shit about him. Junior at that point starts to cry.

Chapter 11 summary

This chapter starts with Junior being at science class. The teacher sais that petrified would exists but Junior sais that that is not true. The teacher gets furious and asks the smartest kid in class, Gordy, if what Junior was saying was true are not. Gordy obviously agrees with Junior.

When Junior came from school he saw her mother crying. He asked her what was wrong and she replied that Junior’s sister got married. Junior was shocked but didn’t say anything.

The next day, Junior asks Gordy if he wants to be his friend. Gordy said yes. Gordy then teaches Junior how to read and write. He also explains to Junior that books are a big mystery.

Chapter 12 summary

In this chpter Junior receives an email from her sister in which it says that she is in Montana. She rode a horse and had a honeymoon in a hotel. She also said that she ate fried bread which is better than their grandmothers.

Chapter 13 summary

In this chapter Junior is eating turkey with his family because it is thanksgiving. Later that day, he drew a picture of Rowdy and him. He missed him. So he went to Rowdy’s home to give him the picture. Rowdy’s dad opened the door and said that Rowdy wasn’t there. Junior gave the drawing to Rowdy’s father and said to give it to him when he returns. As Junior left the house, he turned around and saw Rowdy staring at him, his face full of sadness.