The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Life is never easy. Everyone encounters obstacles, one way or another. Junior, the main character of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is no different. But unlike others, Junior is able to simultaneously maintain an optimistic and efficient personality even in the worst of situations. Junior is the type of character that would resonate with you forever; his good sprit and ongoing sympathy make him truly memorable.

            Junior lives on a Native American reservation with his mother, sister, father, and grandmother. His lifestyle automatically grants him with the burden of discrimination, poverty, and an unsafe environment. Anyone can see that it takes a lot to handle those issues when you’re merely a teenager. But somehow, he never lets these disadvantages take over his life.  It’s as if Junior can tackle bad situations more genuinely than most adults. For example, his problems with poverty lead to a poor education. But instead of letting that get the best of him, he surpasses to switch to a better school.  This shows his amount of patience and responsibility, he doesn’t blame his situation on anyone or fall into a sort of depression.  He’s able to find a silver lining in the darkest of times

Junior has great ability in not letting hard situations get to him. He is able to create distractions to help ease him through his complicated life. For example, he starts playing basketball. This evolves into a new found passion. This helps Junior extract hope and happiness despite the violence and loss he is exposed to. Also, Junior is constantly cracking jokes. The fact that he can find humor so easily is an easy quality to revere. But Junior's personality is so sophisticated and complex that he barely notices it.

            Although this relates to me less drastically, being positive and headstrong all the time is something that I’ll try to continuously be. If I’m in a sticky situation, I’ll think about Junior and all of the good things he obtained from his positive attitude. I hope that anyone who reads this book understands how truly important it is to be optimistic; being the opposite will only bring more of a struggle.