Skip to main content

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










          In the book "Part Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie Mr. P has a deep talk with Arnold after he hit him in the nose with his mother's 30 year old book. Mr. P tells Arnold that he was not going to hit him because when he first started teaching, those were things he did to kids like Rowdy. He then says, "that's how we were taught to teach you. We were supposed to kill the indian to save the child"(Alexie 35). This was significant because what Mr. P is saying, is that people like rowdy have given up, his parents have given up and his grandparents have given up. They were supposed to be taught in a way that was teaching, but would also slowly rip and tear the indian culture apart. Their intentions were to make you feel ashamed and disgusted  being a indian and you should not be proud of yourself as an indian. Arnold is one of the only kids that have not given up. He threw the book at the teacher because he cares about his education and school. People like Rowdy don't care about school and since his parents gave up on him by beating him up and getting drunk, Rowdy gets bad grades and bully's kids to make himself feel better.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

#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.”
Post a Comment
Read more

#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 ...
1 comment
Read more
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.
Post a Comment
Read more