#8 At the end of the novel what does Junior realize about his own identity, his life and Rowdy? (Logan P)

Throughout the novel, Junior struggles finding out where he fits in society. He hasn’t seen the bigger picture on how he is different from Rowdy and his tribe, and how his life has pulled him back from being the “nomad” Indian that he was meant to be. Junior is understanding what who he is once Rowdy brings up a word that used to classify their Indian ancestors. “I was reading this book about old-time Indians, about how we used to be nomadic… Hardly anybody on this rez is nomadic. Except for you. You’re the nomadic one… You’re and old-time nomad, you’re going to keep moving all over the world in search of food and water and grazing land. That’s pretty cool” (229-230). Rowdy’s claim of Junior being a nomad and being curious and taking big steps is supported, as Junior took the big leap by going to school at Reardon. Junior was able to take this risk unlike others because he has hope for a better future, which was the mindset of his old-time nomadic ancestor Indians. Junior realizes that Rowdy’s only thing left that he cares for is him. Rowdy understanding that Junior must go seek a new future outside the rez kills him, knowing that he will have nothing left. Junior is a “nomad” that is ready to go and seek a new and better future for himself, knowing that it will hurt him and the people he will have to leave behind to pursue this journey.

Reading #8 - Why does Junior cry on pages 216 and 217?

Parker Lewis-Pierce
English 7B
11/14/18

             On pages 216 and 217, Junior cries because of grief for his sister, and the state of the world he lives in, particularly the reservation and other Indians. In the book, Junior was thinking about his sister at the graveyard with his parents when he said, "It made me all cry for my sister. It made me cry for myself"(Alexie 216). He follows that quote up with one that said, "But I was crying for my tribe too. I was crying because I knew five or ten of fifteen more Spokanes would die during the next year, and that most of them would die because of booze. I cried because so many of my fellow tribal members were slowly killing themselves and I wanted them to live"(Alexie 216). The first quote explains that he's crying because the recent death of his sister is too much for him. And the second quote explains how there's almost no hope for Indians, how they will just keep dying because of the world they live in, and that even though Junior wants them to live there's nothing he can do. In conclusion, Junior cries because of how the world he lives in just keeps killing Indians like Junior's sister, and there's nothing he or them can do.

#8 At the end of the novel what does Junior realize about his own identity, his life and Rowdy?(Sophia P)

At the end of the novel, Junior realizes that throughout his life he has always been different. After Rowdy explains to Junior that he knew that Junior would always leave. Junior finally realizes that when Mr. P advised him to leave the reservation and go somewhere else, this was his way of telling him he was different. This was the same thing Rowdy saw in him now. Rowdy explains, “‘Hardly anybody on this rez is nomadic. Except for you. . .  I always knew you were going to leave. I always knew you were going to leave us behind and travel the world”’(Alexie 229). Leaving Wellpoint allowed Junior to follow his intended path and fulfill the part of him that always wanted to live a better life. Junior wanted to be more than just another Indian who stayed in the same place and drank alcohol. What no one else understood was how the reservation was affecting their quality of life, and limiting their options for a better future. However, Rowdy's mindset changes during the novel, due to the influence of Junior. Rowdy starts off as a kid who is rough around the edges and preoccupies himself with the anger he felt inside. Towards the end, Rowdy realizes that he can't hold back his best friend just because he fears the growing distance between them will break their friendship.

Question # 1 Why does Rowdy tell Arnold, “You killed her” (211)? Is there truth to this statement?
(Ryan Nepal)

Rowdy tells Arnold “you killed her” (211) because Rowdy feels as though Arnold’s choice to
leave the reservation, impacted his sister to also became brave and leave to go to Montana. After
Rowdy accuses Junior of killing his sister, Junior starts to believe it too, “Rowdy was right. I had
killed my sister… she only got married so quickly and left the rez because I had left the rez first”
(211). There isn’t any truth to this statement because  Junior didn’t physically kill his sister, and
Junior’s sister might have been affected by Arnold’s bravery to leave the reservation, but she wasn’t
inspired to throw a house party in her trailer, and get so heavily intoxicated with her friends, that
someone would burn the trailer down. Rowdy doesn’t believe that Junior physically killed her,
but he does believe that his choice influenced and led up to what happened. In a way, all of the
events that took place linked, and Although Junior’s sister might of followed her little brother’s
footsteps, her death was not his fault in any way.

Question #4: Explain the humor/irony of the title of the chapter, “Rowdy and I Have a Long and Serious Discussion About Basketball.”

The irony and humor of the title of the chapter named Rowdy and I have a long discussion about basketball is that their discussion is not long at all or serious. This is shown when Junior emails Rowdy and tells him that he is sorry about and Rowdy has a short and quick response: “Now that might just sound like a series of homophobic insults, but I think it was also a little bit friendly, and it was the first time that Rowdy had talked to me since I left the rez” (Alexie 198). This quote shows that Junior believes that even though Rowdy was insulting him, he believes that it was lighthearted. Overall the way that the title of this chapter portrays itself is very ironic because the discussion that Junior and Rowdy have is very different than that.

#8 Summarize the outcome of the game. Why does Junior cry at the end? What does he realize? (Keira H)

Keira Hagerty

English 7

11/13/18

Summarize the outcome of the game. Why does Junior cry at the end? What does he realize?

At the end of the Basketball game against the Redskins and pulled away with a win. Junior scored a three pointer after he stole a dunk from Rowdy. After the game, Junior feels bad because he broke his best friends heart, he runs into the bathroom and throws up. He begins to cry and then his coach comes in and begins to cry with him, it is the only time where men and boys can show their emotions. “I was crying tears of shame. I was crying because I had broken my best friends heart” (Alexie 196). He feels really bad about stealing the ball from Rowdy and taking it down the court for a three pointer, later in the chapter he emails Rowdy and his responses make junior happy for, and he has not been happy in a long time.   

Reading #2 - Interpret/explain/explore the context and significance of the quote “We were supposed to kill the Indian to save the child” (35).

Parker Lewis-Pierce 

11/13/18

English 7B

           This quote is supposed to explain how white people on the reservation are trying to kill Native American culture inside the children on the reservation to make the "more white". Before this quote, Mr. P had just come to visit Junior after he hit him in the face with a book during school. Mr. P explains to Junior how they were trying to kill Indian culture, and how Junior needs to get off the reservation. Mr. P gives a further explanation later in their conversation, saying "We were supposed to make you give up being Indian. Your songs and stories and language and dancing"(Alexie, 35). The significance of this quote is that it shows how in or world today, and in this book, even after "solving" the problem with Native Americans, we are still trying to erase their culture and make them more white. This is also another reason that Mr. P gives to Junior as a way of convincing him to go to Rearden. In conclusion, the significance of this quote is that it shows how the United States today is still trying to erase Native American culture in reservations.

#6 In “Red Versus White” what does Junior realize about parents? What is the irony? (Rose F)

In “red versus white” Junior realizes that his parents are great because they listen to him. In this chapter, Junior is talking about how everyone thinks that he loves white people more than Indians now. He explains what he loves about his family. He says, “Ever since I’ve been at Reardan, and seen how great parents do their great parenting, I realize that my folks are pretty good... they make sacrifices for me. They worry about me. They talk to me. And best of all, they listen to me. I’ve learned the worst thing a parent can do is ignore their children.” (Alexie 153). Junior realizes that his parents listen to him, unlike the other parents at Reardan, which is one of the best things they can do for him. The irony is that the kids at Reardan can get almost anything they want from their parents, except for getting their parents to listen to them. Junior may be poor, but he has the one thing that the white kids don’t, great parents.

Blog rotation #6 Question 2 (Max)

Who is the first game against? How is he treated by the crowd at the first game? How does the team (and coach) react/support him? How does this impact him?

In Arnold's first basketball game he is treated disrespectfully. Even though the coach tries to make him feel better, Arnold is still impacted by the bullying of the crowd and Rowdy, his best friend. Ever since Arnold changed schools, the reservation has treated him with disrespect. In his first basketball game against Wellpinit High School, everyone in the audience except Rowdy turned on him: “My fellow tribal members saw me and they stopped cheering, talking, moving… As one, they all turned their backs on me” (Alexie 143-144). As the game continued, someone threw a quarter at Arnold’s forehead and made him bleed. Then, after getting stitched up, he went back on to play just to get hurt again by Rowdy. Arnold realizes how much his team and coach cares for him. He is realizing how much people hate him for being an outsider.

Blog Rotation #6: Question 4

4. What was Junior’s grandmother’s greatest gift? What has happened to Indians’ sense of tolerance? Why has that occurred?

Junior’s grandmother’s greatest gift was tolerance. “In the old days,” Junior states, “Indians used to be forgiving of any kind of eccentricity” (155). She had held onto that spirit, and firmly believed that no one deserved hate for being different. Loving everyone, she never failed to give someone a second chance. Junior claims that now, the tolerance Indians used to have has faded. When white people showed up with their Christianity, ideas of superiority over others, and “fears of eccentricity” (155), Indians began to descend into judgemental spite. With white people mass murdering them, taking over their land, and forcing them onto places like the rez, where hope is smashed out of every kid and the adults don’t have anything to do but drown their emotions in liqour, Indians turn to hate because they themselves have been hated. After being judged and shamed, it’s easy to judge and shame others.

Blog Rotation #5 Question 3

Nikki

11/8/18

On pages 107-109, Junior tells us more about Penelope, and he learns her secret. Explain this situation and why he says “…she’s scared all the time, but nobody will let her be scared…” (108).

Penelope is bulimic. This means that she forces herself to throw up after eating. Junior finds out about this when he goes to the bathroom to get out of class and hears someone vomiting in the girl's bathroom. At first, he thinks she is anorexic but she is quick to correct him saying “anorexics are anorexics all the time…” “…I’m only bulimic when I’m throwing up”(Alexie 107). Junior reacts to this by drawing a picture of his dad saying “I’m only an alcoholic when I get drunk” (Alexie 107). He then tells Penelope not to give up. Immediately after telling her he thinks it is incredibly corny and he is embarrassed and regrets saying anything, but Penelope starts crying and telling Junior about how she is lonely and how everyone thinks her life is perfect but  “…she’s scared all the time, but nobody will let her be scared because she’s smart pretty and popular” (Alexie 108). After this Junior and Penelope become closer and this surprises everyone in the school, even Junior because Junior was seen as an outsider up until this point, but now that Penelope has shown interest in Junior, everyone else is suddenly interested in him.

Blog #5 Question 7_Angelone

Thomas Angelone
 Blog #5
11/8/18



What does Arnold hide and ultimately reveal in “Dance Dance Dance?” What does he learn? Be sure to discuss the final sentence on page 129.

Arnold reveals to Roger and Penelope that he is poor. He reveals it through Penelope asking him, and then Penelope telling Roger that Arnold is poor. "'Can I ask you something big?' 'Yeah, I guess.' 'Are you poor?' I couldn't lie top her anymore. 'yes,' I said. 'I am poor,"'(127). After Arnold is forced to reveal his secret he realizes that there is a blessing in a curse. Although he is poor he still has supportive friends such as Roger, Penelope, and Gordy by his side. For example Gordy helps him with school, Roger drives him and is a nice friend to Arnold, and Penelope is always by Arnolds side no matter what. After Roger and Penelope heard Arnold was poor, I feel as they want to just help him more. Arnold now realizes that it's ok to be poor, and it's ok to tell people, because you can choose the people you want to trust. 

#5. Explore the irony of the discussion about Thanksgiving. (Ethan B)

The irony of the discussion about Thanksgiving is that even though the Native Americans were violently abused by the Pilgrims, Junior's family still celebrates it. At the beginning of the chapter “Thanksgiving”, Junior is thinking to himself about how strange it is that his family is celebrating Thanksgiving. Junior says to himself “I always think it’s funny that Indians celebrate Thanksgiving...the Pilgrims were shooting Indians”(Alexie 101). Thanksgiving is based on the celebration of connection between the Native Americans and Pilgrims, and being thankful for what people have. But Junior realizes that there wasn’t really a good connection with the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. The fact that people still believe that the Pilgrims were good to Native Americans really shows the unfair power dynamic by showing that people don’t care what the Natives have to say and that they only listen to the white peoples side of the story. He also realizes that there isn’t much to be thankful for in his life. When he asked his father what to be thankful for, his father gives a very negative answer which was “we should give thanks that they didn't kill all of us” (Alexie 102). That quote really illustrates that there is no reason for Native Americans to be thankful to the Pilgrims on Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving has and still is seen as a time to give thanks and remember the connection between Pilgrims and Native Americans but because his experiences and the way society has shaped Junior, he knows that there is no reason to celebrate the racism that he and people like him have experienced.

Welcome!

Welcome to our class blog!