Kresten Due Literary Luminary, Rotation #5 (Final)

This rotation which was our final, we were to read Sherman Alexie's, "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian". Our aim was to finish the book (230 of 230 pages).  This rotation I was given the honorary title of "Literary Luminary. This meant that I was meant to highlight specific parts of the text which are either, "interesting, powerful, funny, puzzling, or important from the text." This means that for example; a person realizes something about a friend which is negative but remains of the same opinion of that friend, that would be a powerful moment and should be highlighted.

1. The first part of the book that I found and decided to highlight was a rather odd and puzzling. The main character known as Arnold "Junior" Spirit has just learned that his sister has died and then goes into the car with his father to return home. The odd thing is that he begins to laugh since he is happy that his father does not die on the way to Arnold's school. He does this rather than mourning his sister
1. "I started laughing. I was so relieved , so happy, that I laughed. And I couldn't stop laughing."
2. (Page 204, Paragraph 7)
2. The second part was a very powerful moment. He spits out some cantaloupe and the last time he had it was a very long time ago. However, what is powerful is that it represents his quick passing of the Kubler Ross 5-Stages of Grief since his sister loved cantaloupe. (The Kubler Ross 5-Stages of Grief is a model which represents common reactions in order when a person is faced with the death of someone. An acronym for it is DABDA, standing or the different stages which are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance). When he spits out the cantaloupe it is a simily of his acceptance of his sisters death.
1. "I spit out a little piece of cantaloupe... My sister had always loved cantaloupe."
2. (Page 205, Paragraph 12)
3. The third part of the book was a simple and funny part which is very realistic. When his sister has died, all of Junior's cousins come and begin to eat his family's food. It is simply a part which makes one smile due to the humorous aspect.
1. "Somebody dies and people eat your food. Funny how that works."
2. (Page 207, Paragraph 17)
4. This part is very important from the text as it signifies an important part of the falling action and the relation between two characters. Junior's best friend was another boy named Rowdy. However, during the plot Junior goes to a school off of the Indian Reservation on which he lives. This causes Rowdy to despise junior and creates a lot of tension between these two characters. However, near the end of the book, during the funeral of Junior's sister, Junior is frustrated and runs into the woods. He then runs into Rowdy. The fact that Rowdy attends the funeral of his post best friend who is now his enemy shows respect to Junior. This sets up the resolution as it decreases the tension between the two characters.
1. "Yep, Rowdy had been hiding in the woods while he watched the burial."
2. (Page 209, Paragraph 3)
5. This final example is very important to the book and plot as it represents the resolution and helps define the conflict of the book. In the end of the book, Rowdy and Junior go to play some 1 on 1 basketball together which state that Rowdy has forgiven Junior which tells you that the conflict was Man vs. Man and that the book is now complete.
1. "So, do you maybe want to go shoot some hoops?"
2. (Page 226, Paragraph 4)

Illustrator

Name: Elzbieta Janusauskaite 

Job: Illustrator

Pages: 230/230

Book: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian

In the following picture I drew Junior and his best friend Rowdy playing basketball during the summer. As expected, Rowdy and Junior become friends once more, in the readers opinion, as Rowdy denied it. They had played basketball for the whole day and were just themselves once again. I think this is significant for the book because it marks the resolution of it. 

 

Discussion director

Rodion 7A

Pgs. read: all of them

Book title: The absolutely true diary of a part time Indian

1.      What are your opinions about the book?

Luka: Interesting, he wants read more of these books.

Kresten: Found confusion, unable to identify the climax.

Elzbieta: Did not like it, written poorly, found interesting that the author wrote the book about a regular teen ager.

2.      If there is something you would change about the book, what would you change?

Luka: don’t know 

Kresten: add more structure and create a more defined climax.

Elzbieta: change the fact that the sister in bulimic  

3.      How would you feel if you were in Junior’s position?

Luka: I would feel bad because it’s not his fault.

Kresten: apply for college and try to get a scholar ship.

Elzbieta: I would feel confused and I would consider suicide, feels sorry for his family and his life.

4.      Rate the book on a scale of 1-10

Luka: 8/10

Kresten: 3-4/10

Elzbieta: 4/10

5.      What are your final thoughts about this book did you like it? (why or why not?)

Luka: I like it but I would rather read about a girl

Kresten: Did not like it and it has been over glorified, but the cartoons were good.

Elzbieta: I did not like it because it wasn’t written well and it was very opinionative.8

The Absolutely True Diary of A Part-Time Indian -Connector Rotation #5

The Absolutely True Diary of A Part-Time Indian

Connector

After the main character, Junior, went to the Reardan school he left his best friend, Rowdy behind. Junior always commented in his diary that he missed Rowdy so much.

We have the same story because I left my old school where my best friend, Harry, went. I came here at ISB and struggled for a few months to get used to the system (classes). But the hardest part was to forget all my years I have been with Harry and to move on. After a couple of months, I got used to ISB and made a lot of new friends.

I know exactly how Junior felt.