Group C #3: Why is Junior hesitant to tell Rowdy? Why does he tell him? How does Rowdy react? Why does he react this way? (Emmy Lev)

Junior decides to tell Randy because Rowdy “was my best friend and I loved him like crazy” (Alexie 49). He didn’t believe that Rowdy had given up all hope yet and wanted Rowdy to come with him. From past experience at sports games, Rowdy has nothing but hate for the kids at Reardan. As a result of Rowdy’s anger, he screams and punches Junior in the face. Rowdy had just “become my worst enemy” (Alexie 53). Later on as Junior arrives at Reardan he acknowledges Rowdy’s parting gift, a black eye. Even though things didn’t end well on the rez, Rowdy said goodbye in a way that only he would ever do: a tough looking scar.

Comments

#7 Explain the humor/irony of the title of the chapter, “Rowdy and I Have a Long and Serious Discussion About Basketball.” (Hayley)

The humor and irony of the title of the chapter “Rowdy and I Have a Long and Serious Discussion About Basketball." is the fact that Junior is trying to show that he is upset about winning but then Junior and Rowdy are going back and fourth about being faggots. This is shown in the quote on page 197, where Rowdy says, "'We'll kick your asses next year.' Rowdy wrote back. 'And you'll cry like the little faggot you are.'". This quote shows that they are trying to joke around by saying that “Rowdy and I Have a Long and Serious Discussion About Basketball", but really it is trying to say that they are having a short discussion and are really just joking around. In conclusion, Rowdy and Junior are showing irony and humor through the title of the chapter, “Rowdy and I Have a Long and Serious Discussion About Basketball.”

#7 Summarize the cartoon on 182. What is the significance? What does it show about Junior? What is his dilemma? (Sophia K.)

The image on page 182, represents how much hope exists at Reardan as opposed to Wellpinit. The crowd at Wellpinit is shouting “White-lover!” as a way of draining Arnold of self esteem, causing him to question his loyalty. However, the crowd at Reardan shouts “Destroy them Arnold!” as a way of boosting him with confidence. In the cartoon on page 53, Rowdy screams, “You white-lover! You Suck! I Hate You!”(Alexie 53). All of those insults are supposed to make Arnold doubt himself, therefore not go to Reardan, but in Arnold’s case losing hope just makes him want to try harder to gain hope. The lack of hope in Wellpinit is contagious, so he always feels deflated there, but at Reardan, everything is different, he and everyone around him have an optimistic view of the future. The dilemma is that Arnold doesn’t know who’s side he is on. He doesn’t know if he is part of the reservation or if he is “white”, and it is confusing him. If he chooses to return to the reservation again, he will ...

Examine the cartoon on page 12. What is the relationship between poverty and dreams? (Katie B.) On the cartoon on page 12, poverty is shown relating to dreams in the way that being poor makes it harder to achieve a dream. Junior explains that if his family had had more money, his parents probably would’ve followed their greatest dreams, “But we reservation Indians don't get to realize our dreams. We don't get those chances. Or choices. We're just poor. That's all we are” (Alexie, 13). Junior says that his family’s lack of money created a barricade for his otherwise talented parents. His mother and father truly are good, hardworking people but their living situations, financial situation, and Native American heritage work against them stopping them from pursuing a dream.

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