The Absolutely True Diary: Racism, Alienation, and Literary Elements - Free Paper

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie is subject to exciting literacy discussion as it is symbolic. From a general view, one can interpret the title as a set of accounts that lead to the character(s) behaving either as Indians or people of other origins. In-depth, the name presents the audience with massive imagery depicted from happenings in the book. The book has helped derive themes that could be based on Indigenous peoples in it. The title has depicted racism and alienation as the main themes, and literacy elements of foreshadowing, metaphors, tone, symbolism, and irony.

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Racism has emerged as a critical subject of discussion in the text. Racism is clearly illustrated going to the happenings surrounding the main character in Junior. Junior has to put up with racist jokes unto him both in Reservation and Reardan, more so in the latter where he is surrounded by white tutors and students who bully him based on his looks. Penelope's dad warned him not to impregnate his daughter to make charcoal babies (Alexie 108).

Junior had observed racism break down among the Spokane tribe. In the reservation, Junior observed the effects of structured and historical racism on Indians. Discrimination has broken Indians' self-worth down to believing they deserve second-class citizens' treatment. Having attended forty-two Indian funerals at fourteen years, Junior believed there could be massive distinctions between Indians and whites. May only a few whites could have ever attended a funeral. About 90 percent of these deaths were alcohol-related.

Alienation formed another integral theme in the book. Junior is seen as a villain in his Spokane tribe when he moves to Reardan. He is also torn between his culture and getting an education to better his lifestyle among his tribesmen. Rowdy and many others on the reservation even call him a traitor, to the point of turning back on him during basketball. Classmates also torment him for being different, primarily through being ignored. At some point, he lacks a sense of belonging. He reminds himself he may be alone as an Indian boy but not alone in loneliness (Alexie 217). Hence the suitability of 'part-time Indian' on the title.

Foreshadowing has also been depicted in the novel. Junior nicknames sister Mary "Mary Runs Away" due to her hairstyle (Alexie 27). This name foreshadows reckless resolve as Mary marries a person she has known only for a short period and flees with him to Montana, where she dies later. Mr. P tells Junior that his friend Rowdy has given up and that it hurts others and wants him to have the same attitude (Alexie 42). Rowdy's mentality can be well characterized by the dismissal and mistreatment he subjects Junior to when he leaves the reservations.

Metaphors have been used in the novel in the following context: Junior described Rowdy as strong and mean as a snake. It refers to Rowdy's monumental and combative nature, which does not allow anyone to take advantage of him. Rowdy is violent if threatened. Junior is referred to as an apple by other Indians on the reservation. The metaphor is used as an insult against him for attending school away from Wellpinit. Junior also likens himself to a lion as his basketball skills improve. In Reardan against Wellpinit rematch, he is firm and focused like a lion on its prey for a win.

The tone has also been applied as a literacy aspect in the book. As Junior is an amusing and sensitive fourteen-year-old who is also honest in writing his diary, the novel's tone has been set to a light-hearted mood. As a result, the novel resonates with a universal audience. The tone is also educative on Indian culture and the problems that face people living on reservations in the United States of America.

The text has also applied symbolism to enhance message delivery. Junior draws a flying white horse on his diary to symbolize hope, which is only imagination to him, meaning he only visualizes what it could be like to be hopeful. The white horse drawing symbolizes that Junior believes hope is meant for the whites. Junior also compares to an alien, which is symbolic of his struggles with alienation. His transit to Reardan led to a disconnect with former friends while he could not make new from his new classmates. Hence symbolism as he is struggling between his two worlds.

Irony occurs in the book where Roger calls Junior an animal. Roger insults Junior with the most racist thing Junior ever heard, resulting in him punching Roger in the face(Alexie 64). However, Roger gets shocked and slinks away, calling Junior an animal, ironic as he initiated attacks. Junior's grandmother Spirit is another ironic case in the novel. Although many Indians had died due to drunkenness, Spirit never had a drink her whole life (Alexie 159); thus, it is ironic that a drunk driver killed her.

The Sherman Alexie novel has highlighted racism issues where discrimination has occurred to people based on their appearances. Alienation has also come up where a character such as Junior would not fit in Reardan as a back home he was viewed as a traitor while in Reardan he was seen as an outcast. There has also been a great use of literacy styles of foreshadowing, metaphors, tone, symbolism, and irony. The forms of writing have been applied in the book to ensure that intended messages are correctly delivered.