"I was starting to understand. He was a math teacher. I had to add my hope to somebody else's hope. I had to multiply hope by hope.
" 'Where is hope?' I asked. 'Who has hope?'
" 'Son,' Mr. P said. 'You're going to find more and more hope the farther and farther you walk away from this sad, sad reservation.' "
Arnold decides to take Mr. P's advice, leave the reservation school and go to the middle-class all-white school twenty-two miles away from his reservation. There, he meets the beauteous Penelope and discovers a whole new world. The decision causes a lot of jealousy and resentment on the rez for Arnold, and he lives with a constant barrage of hatred from the children, including his once friend Rowdy. They think he’s sold out, turned white, and that’s something the kids on the rez can’t forgive. The rift with Rowdy is the worst of it, and Arnold suffers incredible loneliness and hurt, yet sticks by his decision. He's a brave boy.
Arnold battles through it all and finds he can triumph. He learns that even through the worst adversity, like the death of a loved one, he still has his education and his new friends, and that, when push comes to shove, his family and old friends on the rez are there for him. His optimism and hope shines through the pages and makes you smile.
Arnold’s engaging and entertaining diary tackles rough subjects like death, alcoholism, poverty, jealousy and racism with a deft hand. You can't but help fall in love with Arnold. The wonderful cartoons and drawings by Ellen Forney appear to be pasted onto the pages of his diary, giving it depth and life. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a must have book, and I can't speak highly enough of it.
Article comments
1 - Armando Bernal
This book is excellent!! While I wish there was not the references to masterbation and 'boners' that might make it a "banned" book in the public schools, the fact that these things are in it give it great credility because when you write of teenage boys, you have to write about that. It's a great book. I think it can become a great book to use if people don't get hung up on those sexual references.
2 - heehee
havent red it but we r for school this summer and im rlly excited, should be an awesome read, and some of my friends have read it already and they loved it so im rlly excited...it's kinda hard to find a quality book these days that makes u want to read more when you finish...anyways, can't wait to check it out and everyone should read it.