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Analytical Essay: The Diary of A Part-Time Indian

At his reading at the Strand bookstore, Sherman Alexie said the one thing he would want students to take away from this novel is “escaping and confronting familial and tribal expectations.” Essentially, we are all limited to some extent by the myriad of expectations that are linked to our race, culture, gender, age, and socioeconomic status. This is also true of Junior who is characterized by his poverty and race. Ultimately, he must choose between accepting what others expect him to be, or to fight against these forces that are holding him back.

In the novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie, Junior is in constant conflict between his identity as a Spokane Native and an American in western culture. I have framed this unit around a central question: how do internal and external expectations manifest themselves in our lives? Under this umbrella, you will consider issues of race, class, culture, and gender, how they are tied to the construction and perception of identity, and how these factors impact life choices. You will also discuss the expectations imposed by community and family, and how, oftentimes, these can be the hardest ties to break.

Task:

Using the novel analyze, examine and interpret how Sherman Alexie conveys the impact of societal expectations on identity?

General Guidelines

• 4-5 pages long
• 12-point font, Times New Roman
• At least 6 quotes from the novel
• 3 examples of personal or hypothetical connections to your main points
• Careful proofreading and correct use of MLA style
• No Works Cited page necessary, unless using different outside sources.
• No usage of first person (only in your personal example): me, myself and I