The Absolutely TRUE Diary of a Part-Time Indian

by Sherman Alexie

Name__________________________Class_________________

Use this link to access the e-book and sound files. You’ll find a chapter list on the next page.

http://esl-bits.net/ESL.English.Learning.Audiobooks/Absolutely.True.Diary/preview.html

”Life is a constant struggle between being an individual and being a member of a community” - Sherman Alexie

”Opening this book is like meeting a friend you'd never make in your actual life and being given a piece of his world, inner and outer. It's humane, authentic and, most of all, it speaks.” - Diane Samuels, The Guardian

Chapter	Chapter Name	Length of ESL Bits sound file
1	The Black-Eye-of-The-Month-Club	7.41 minutes
2	Why Chicken Means So Much to Me	9.18
3	Revenge Is My Middle Name	12.39
4	Because Geometry Is Not a Country	8.15
5	Hope Against Hope	17.27
6	Go Means Go	4.19
7	Rowdy Sings the Blues	6.38
8	How To Fight Monsters	16.52
9	Grandmother Gives Me Some Advice	6.39
10	Tears of a Clown	2.27
11	Halloween	6.25
12	Slouching Toward Thanksgiving	21.55
13	My Sister Sends Me an E-mail	2.35
14	Thanksgiving	3.09
15	Hunger Pains	11.16
16	Rowdy Gives Me Advice About Love	3.52
17	Dance, Dance, Dance	12.55
18	Don’t Trust Your Computer	3.39
19	My Sister Sends Me a Letter	.56
20	Reindeer Games	18.34
21	And A Partridge In a Pear Tree	2.06
22	Red Versus White	10.56
23	Wake	11.55
24	Valentine Heart	9.01
25	In Like A Lion	28.34
26	Rowdy and I Have a Long Discussion	.43
27	Russian Guys Are Not Always Geniuses	25.03
28	My Final Freshman Year Report Card	.31
29	Remembering	4.00
30	Talking About Turtles	21.56

Chapter 1

Why is Junior a member of the `Black Eye of the Month Club´?

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Why does Junior draw cartoons, and what do they tell us about him?

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Chapter 2

What does Junior identify as the worst thing about being poor?

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How is poverty “a cycle” for Junior’s family?

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Use five adjectives to describe Junior’s personality; based on what you know so far:

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Chapter 3

What is the Spokane Powwow?

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What does Rowdy do with the Andruss brothers? Why? What does this demonstrate about his friendship with Junior?

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Chapter 4

Why is Junior so cynical about white teachers?

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What angers Junior about his geometry book?

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Chapter 5

What is Mr. P’s advice to Junior, and why does he give him this advice?

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Chapter 6

How do Junior’s parents react to his decision to change schools? What does this show about them?

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Chapter 7

How are sporting results used to compare the two schools?

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How does Rowdy react to Junior’s decision to change schools and why does he react in this way?

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Chapter 8

How does the cartoon symbolize Junior’s insecurities?

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How do the students at Reardon react to Junior?

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In this chapter, Junior says: “Maybe I was telling the world I was no longer a moving target”. What does he mean by this statement? How did he “tell” the world this?

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Chapter 9

Exactly what advice does Junior get from his grandmother?

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Chapter 10

Junior’s story about Dawn tells the reader a lot about who he is. What are your thoughts?

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Chapter 11

What is “trick or treating”, and how does it remind (or make Junior think of) Rowdy?

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Chapter 12

Junior speaks up in class! Why is this so significant? What is Mr. Dodge’s reaction and how does that make you as the reader feel?

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What does Mary do and why?

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Chapter 13

What does Mary say in her e-mail? Summarize the most important information and in your own words.

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Chapter 14

Describe the cartoon Junior draws. How does Rowdy’s father react and why (do you think)?

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Chapter 15

Consider this quote: “Everybody is absolutely shocked that Penelope chose me to be her new friend. I’m not some ugly, mutated beast. But I am an absolute stranger at the school.

And I am an Indian. And Penelope’s father, Earl, is a racist.” So why are Penelope and Junior dating?

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Chapter 16

Gordy says, “White girls are privileged. They’re damsels in distress”. What does he mean by this?

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Chapter 17

In this chapter we find out why Junior considers himself to be a part-time Indian. Explain in your own words.

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Chapter 18

What do the e-mails that Junior and Rowdy send to each other say about their relationship?

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Chapter 19

Judging from the descriptions in her letter to Junior, what is your opinion about Mary’s new life? Is she better off than she was before she left her reservation?

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Chapter 20

Were you surprised by what Junior does in this chapter? Why or why not?

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What happens to Junior during the game against Wellpinit? Did the game fulfill Junior’s expectations? Explain.

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Chapter 21

Describe what happens with Junior’s father during the Christmas holidays. How does Junior feel about his father, and why?

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Chapter 22

Give an example of something positive about his culture that Junior realizes in this chapter.

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Chapter 23

Who is Billionaire Ted?

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Chapter 24

What happens in Mrs. Jeremy’s class, and why is this so important to Junior?

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Chapter 25

How does Junior explain his improvement in basketball?

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Chapter 26

Which “long and serious discussion” does the title of this chapter refer to?

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Chapter 27

Describe the tragic event from this chapter. Why does Junior in some way feel responsible? Was what happened to Mary somehow his fault?

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The students at Reardon show Junior that they care about him. In what way?

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Chapter 28

Reflect upon Junior’s grades. What does his report card say about him?

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Chapter 29

Who is Junior crying for? Give two examples.

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Chapter 30

Why do you think Sherman Alexie decided that Junior and Rowdy climbing the tree was a good way to end this story?

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After reading the book:

What did you like about the book and why?

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Was there anything about the book you didn’t like? What and why not?

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Would you recommend this book to other ESL (English as a Second Language) students? Why or why not?

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Writing Assignment

Choose one of the following tasks. Your essay must be between 300 – 500 words long. Base your text on the events, plot and dialog in the book, and use your imagination to fill in the rest.

Number	Instruction	Form/Layout
1	Write a few postcards that Mary sends to Junior as she makes her way to Montana and sets up her new life. Use a map to find her route, and base what you write on the events in the novel and what we know about Mary as a person.	Postcards. One Word or PDF document.
2	Write a newspaper article about the basketball game – The Reardan Indians vs the Wellpenit Redskins.	Newspaper article – include Headline Lead Article Photo Quotes from at least one person involved in the game
3	Write a few entries in Rowdy’s diary, starting with a date shortly after he finds out that Junior is leaving Wellpenit High. Your diary reflects Rowdy’s thoughts and feelings.	Diary entries Use a few of the events in the story as the basis of your text.
4	Pretend that Junior manages to convince Rowdy to come to Reardan High with him. Write an additional chapter for the novel dealing with Rowdy’s first day at Reardan High School.	Chapter for the novel Title of your choice Use the same point of view and tone as The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
5	It was Mr. P who advised Junior to leave the reservation to pursue hope for his future. Write Junior’s letter to Mr. P from a point in time directly after Junior’s first year of high school is over. In his letter, Junior tells Mr. P about his feelings of hope for himself, his family and the members of his tribe.	Formal Letter

Discussion questions:

Analyze the cartoon from the novel. Consider: What does it reveal about Junior? How does it complement the written text?

"The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian"

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