TaliaGonzalez

Block3

June17,2011

TheAbsolutelyTrueStoryofaPart‐TimeIndian

ThisbookisaboutArnoldSpiritJr.,anIndianwholivesonareservewithalloftheotherIndians.

Hewenttoaschoolontherez,withhisbestfriendRowdy,whocouldbeatupanyotherkidandkeep

Arnoldsafe.Onthefirstdayofschool,hegotsuspendedbecausehethrewhistextbookathisteacher.

Lateronintheweek,histeachercamebyandconvincedhimthatheshouldn’tstayatthatschool,

becausehewillneveramounttoanythingfromstayingthere.Arnoldlistenedtohim,anddecidedtogoto

aschoolthatwasofftherezandwasanallwhiteschool.HisfriendRowdygotmadathimforleavingthe

school,punchedhiminthenose,andstartedhatinghim.

Athisnewschool,hewastheonlyIndian,andwaspickedon.Heendeduphavingacrushonagirl

namedPenelope.Oneday,hegotbeatenupbyoneofthebiggerkidsthere,andhehithimback.Thatguy

nevertouchedhimagain.Astimegoesby,ArnoldandPenelopedevelopacloserrelationship.Hetried

outforbasketball,andgotintotheVarsityteam.Hebecomesoneofthebestplayers,andisseenas

someoneyouwouldwanttohangoutwith.HeeventuallyhadtogoagainstRowdy,andhisoldschool,and

gotdirtylooksfromalloftheIndians.Lateroninthebook,heisstruckbytragedies‐hissisterMary,who

elopedandmovedtoMontana,diedinafire,hisdad'sfriendEugenewasshotintheface,andhis

grandmotherwasranoverbyadrunkdriver.Athisgrandmother’sfuneral,alloftheIndians,including

Rowdywerethere.RowdyandArnoldeventuallymadeupafterthefuneral.Theybecomeevenbetter

friendsthantheywerebefore.

ThereasonwhyIdrewthepicturelikethewayIdid,wasbecauseIwantedtoshowhowhe’s

differentatschool,thanathome.He’sagreatbasketballplayerathisschool,andapoorIndianathome.

Sointhebackroundontheleft,he’sinabasketballcourt(He’satschool),andontheright,he’sathis

homeontherez(Helivesinatrailer).