A Study of:A Study of:The Absolutely True Diary The Absolutely True Diary

of a Part-Time Indianof a Part-Time Indian

By Kelly MulderBy Kelly Mulder

How does history and personal How does history and personal experience play a role in shaping experience play a role in shaping

who we are?who we are?

I will be looking at Arnold’s history and I will be looking at Arnold’s history and personal experience throughout the book as personal experience throughout the book as well as my own throughout my life.well as my own throughout my life.

I will be comparing and contrasting my results I will be comparing and contrasting my results with a reflection at the end.with a reflection at the end.

Arnold Spirit’s Arnold Spirit’s History/Personal History/Personal

ExperienceExperience Arnold was born and raised on Arnold was born and raised on

the Spokane Indian Reservation the Spokane Indian Reservation and lived with his family. His and lived with his family. His grandma also lived on the grandma also lived on the reservation. reservation.

Arnold was born with health Arnold was born with health problems which he got made fun problems which he got made fun of for. He also got picked on and of for. He also got picked on and beat up. beat up.

Arnold had a best friend, Rowdy, Arnold had a best friend, Rowdy, who looked out for him no matter who looked out for him no matter what. “But he is my best human what. “But he is my best human friend and he cares about me, so friend and he cares about me, so he would always tell me the he would always tell me the truth.” –pg. 16truth.” –pg. 16

I was born and raised on a farm I was born and raised on a farm where I lived with my family. where I lived with my family. Many of my relatives lived close-Many of my relatives lived close-by.by.

I was born healthy and did not I was born healthy and did not have a rough child-hood like have a rough child-hood like Arnold.Arnold.

I have a best friend, Ashley, who I have a best friend, Ashley, who looks out for me no matter what. looks out for me no matter what. We’ve been friends for as long as We’ve been friends for as long as I can remember.I can remember.

Kelly Mulder’s Kelly Mulder’s History/Personal History/Personal

ExperienceExperience

ArnoldArnold Arnold was poor and he came Arnold was poor and he came

from a long line of ancestors that from a long line of ancestors that were poor. were poor.

Arnold loved his family, Arnold loved his family, especially his Gran.especially his Gran.

Arnold’s parents had dreams, to Arnold’s parents had dreams, to be something other than poor, but be something other than poor, but no one paid attention to their no one paid attention to their dreams. His mom wanted to go to dreams. His mom wanted to go to college. His dad wanted to be a college. His dad wanted to be a musician.musician.

My family and ancestors are middle My family and ancestors are middle class—many of them were farmers. class—many of them were farmers. Hard work has been instilled in my Hard work has been instilled in my family and myself and I feel very family and myself and I feel very blessed with this situation.blessed with this situation.

I love my family very much and I am I love my family very much and I am very close with them.very close with them.

My parents had dreams as well and My parents had dreams as well and were very lucky that they had people were very lucky that they had people to support them and invest in their to support them and invest in their dreams. My dad is a farmer and he dreams. My dad is a farmer and he took over the family farm from my took over the family farm from my Grandpa. He is now farming with my Grandpa. He is now farming with my two brothers. My mom is a florist two brothers. My mom is a florist and a housewife. She opened a and a housewife. She opened a flower shop on our farm in 1996 flower shop on our farm in 1996 when she was 40. Since my parents when she was 40. Since my parents both had flexible jobs, they were able both had flexible jobs, they were able to invest time in all four of their kids. to invest time in all four of their kids.

KellyKelly

ArnoldArnold Arnold’s parents are alcoholics Arnold’s parents are alcoholics

like many people on the like many people on the reservation, but they are not angry reservation, but they are not angry or violent drunks. “My father and or violent drunks. “My father and mother are drunks, too, but they mother are drunks, too, but they aren’t mean like that. Not at all. aren’t mean like that. Not at all. They sometimes ignore me. They sometimes ignore me. Sometimes they yell at me. But Sometimes they yell at me. But they never, ever, never ever, hit they never, ever, never ever, hit me. I’ve never even been me. I’ve never even been spanked. Really. I think my spanked. Really. I think my mother sometimes wants to haul mother sometimes wants to haul off and give me a slap, but my off and give me a slap, but my father won’t let it happen. He father won’t let it happen. He doesn’t believe in physical doesn’t believe in physical punishment; he believes in staring punishment; he believes in staring so cold at me that I turn into a ice-so cold at me that I turn into a ice-covered ice cube with an icy covered ice cube with an icy filling.” -pgs. 16-17filling.” -pgs. 16-17

My parents were/still are great My parents were/still are great role models. They raised my two role models. They raised my two brothers, my sister, and I in a brothers, my sister, and I in a strong Christian home; taught us a strong Christian home; taught us a hard work ethic; showed us love hard work ethic; showed us love and support; invested time in us and support; invested time in us and our activities; taught us good and our activities; taught us good morals and values. Even though morals and values. Even though we were a middle class family, we were a middle class family, we were not spoiled. We did we were not spoiled. We did chores around the farm and house chores around the farm and house and learned a strong work ethic and learned a strong work ethic that I hold with me today. that I hold with me today.

KellyKelly

ArnoldArnold

Arnold’s Gran did not Arnold’s Gran did not drink alcohol. drink alcohol.

Arnold did not drink Arnold did not drink Alcohol.Alcohol.

My grandparents and My grandparents and parents do not drink parents do not drink alcohol.alcohol.

I did not drink any I did not drink any alcohol until I was 21 alcohol until I was 21 and I still rarely have a and I still rarely have a drink.drink.

KellyKelly

ArnoldArnold

Arnold’s family (and many Arnold’s family (and many Indians) have died as a Indians) have died as a result of alcohol. result of alcohol.

““Plenty of Indians have died Plenty of Indians have died because they were drunk. because they were drunk. And plenty of drunken And plenty of drunken Indians have killed other Indians have killed other drunken Indians.” -pg. 158drunken Indians.” -pg. 158

My family does not have a My family does not have a history with alcohol, but history with alcohol, but many of my family many of my family members have been affected members have been affected by cancer. My grandpa died by cancer. My grandpa died of cancer, my cousin died of of cancer, my cousin died of Leukemia (cancer of the Leukemia (cancer of the blood or bone marrow) blood or bone marrow) when he was 23, two of my when he was 23, two of my uncles have had cancer, and uncles have had cancer, and my dad had prostate cancer.my dad had prostate cancer.

KellyKelly

ArnoldArnold Arnold loved to play basketball Arnold loved to play basketball

and played on the school team.and played on the school team. Arnold loved to draw—especially Arnold loved to draw—especially

cartoons.cartoons. Arnold seemed to like school Arnold seemed to like school

because he was really smart and because he was really smart and had a teacher that pushed him to had a teacher that pushed him to do his best.do his best.

I played basketball from 5I played basketball from 5thth grade grade to 12to 12thth grade and played on our grade and played on our school team. school team.

I am an artist/art teacher and I I am an artist/art teacher and I also love to draw (and paint!). I also love to draw (and paint!). I like to draw cartoon like to draw cartoon animals/people/etc. but I do not animals/people/etc. but I do not write stories with them.write stories with them.

I also liked school and I had many I also liked school and I had many teachers that pushed me to do my teachers that pushed me to do my best and helped me become the best and helped me become the teacher I am today!teacher I am today!

KellyKelly

ArnoldArnold Despite everything that Arnold Despite everything that Arnold

went through, he ended up going went through, he ended up going against the crowd and following against the crowd and following his dreams. He became his dreams. He became independent and went to Reardan independent and went to Reardan even though it wasn’t the “cool” even though it wasn’t the “cool” thing to do. Later, he ended up thing to do. Later, he ended up making friends there and making friends there and becoming a star basketball player.becoming a star basketball player.

After high school I knew I wanted After high school I knew I wanted to go to college to be an art to go to college to be an art teacher. I followed my dreams teacher. I followed my dreams and am now living them! Many and am now living them! Many of my friends did things in high of my friends did things in high school that I did not participate in, school that I did not participate in, but later I ended up getting but later I ended up getting respect for being my own person.respect for being my own person.

KellyKelly

ReflectionReflection After reading the book and comparing/contrasting my After reading the book and comparing/contrasting my

history/personal experience with Arnold’s, I can gain history/personal experience with Arnold’s, I can gain a lot of respect for what he did and how hard it was a lot of respect for what he did and how hard it was for him to break out and become independent. If for him to break out and become independent. If someone were to look at my own life and see where I someone were to look at my own life and see where I am today, it probably would not stand out because I am today, it probably would not stand out because I had it pretty easy considering how I grew up. had it pretty easy considering how I grew up. However, if someone were to look at Arnold’s life (or However, if someone were to look at Arnold’s life (or anyone in the same situation as Arnold) it would be anyone in the same situation as Arnold) it would be pretty amazing because he worked hard to overcome pretty amazing because he worked hard to overcome the hopelessness that his situation put him in.the hopelessness that his situation put him in.

Reflection, cont.Reflection, cont.

After doing this project, I am able to see and After doing this project, I am able to see and understand how to teach students that come understand how to teach students that come from a situation like Arnold’s. It is so from a situation like Arnold’s. It is so important to push them and give them hope. important to push them and give them hope. Encouragement is key for any student, but Encouragement is key for any student, but especially one who comes from a similar especially one who comes from a similar background as Arnolds. They need to know background as Arnolds. They need to know that someone believes in them and truly thinks that someone believes in them and truly thinks they can succeed. they can succeed.