Blog 9 My Young Adult Years

Life seems to get in the way just when you finally reach the age to have fun on your own. As a kid my parents dictated who I could spend time with and where I was able to go. I remember thinking that finally I could make the decision as to who I wanted to be and what I planned to do with my life. After spending summers in North Carolina, for the past five years, I knew I did not want to be a “nigger.”
I loved hanging out with my aunts, uncles, cousins, and the friends I had while there, but there were too many rules pertaining to people of color. Lets face it even in the sixties white people had little or no respect for black people, especially in the south. As a northerner I had no understanding why blacks had to enter through a back door of a store while white people were allowed to enter through the front. I really don’t know if I just did not want to be black or if I wanted to just be equal. What ever the reason I ended up with an “Afro” and a “Dashiki” shouting “Power to the People!”
Being proud of who I was meant a great deal to me and until I joined the Black Nationalist I did not feel proud of being a “Negro.” I was somebody and I knew it. I was smart and I had dreams of becoming a Defense Attorney. My family had come through a long struggle to gain the title “Negro,” but it was only a name. Blacks did not gain anymore access to success than they had in the past, at least not in my neighborhood.
The biggest problem I had was that I did not see anything to be proud of as a “Black Nationalist” either. They robbed people, sold and used drugs, and brought guns. I did not see anything positive in that. I remember feeling that maybe the white people were right. Maybe we are not equal to them. Maybe we are doomed for life. But some where deep down inside I knew I could make it. Only it seemed like I was the only one who knew it. In my reasoning I came to the conclusion that money was the deciding factor as to whether you were important or not. Wouldn’t you know it, still another problem, my family did not have any money. Life was just one big problem. Everywhere I turned I ran into one more disappointment. Somehow being a young adult just did not seem to be all that it was cracked up to be. I felt more trapped as a young adult than I did as a kid.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

This novel is such a refreshing alternative to what we have read in the past. Betsey Brown is a good read also, but it is a little difficult to understand some of the wording. I particularly enjoy the realistic day by day and incident by incident account of the day and life of Junior, the main character and the people he encounters..
I can not say that I remember reading a book written by an American Indian about an American Indian. However, I can relate to some of the stereotypical view points Junior brings out in his diary. On page 56 Junior states, “Reardan was the opposite of the rez. It was the opposite of my family. It was the opposite of me. I didn’t deserve to be there. I knew it; all of the kids knew it. Indians don’t deserve shit.” Junior just tells it like it is. For most minorities this precept rings true.
What I love about Junior is that he believes that he does not belong on the “rez.” He knows he is not like the other Indian on the reservation. He does not want to get drunk, fight, and remain in that rut for the rest of his life. Even though he thinks he will not fit in at the all white school he is willing to give it a try. His desire to break free from failure is stronger than his fear of racism. We see this same trend in the story of Betsey Brown only with a little twist. Betsey’s mother and father are middle class and live in an environment of professional people.
Although we are not told how Rowdy turns out, we can safely assume that he continues in the path that has been craved out for American Indians. Although Junior believes in Rowdy he does not believe in himself. The humor the two of them uses to deal with hurts, disappointment, and grief is typical among teens. The logic they make of all the negatives is a bit questionable for their age. I must admit, though, that poverty and hardships does forces a kid to grow up quick
This novel is an absolute delight to read even with the curse words and sexual content. Alexie helps us to realize that adolescence is adolescence no matter what race, greed, or color you happen to be born with. We all go though those moments of doubt, fear, challenge, and anxiety.