Essay Sample about Sherman Alexie: His Life, His Book

“As an Indian, you don’t have the luxury of being called an autobiographical writer often. You end up writing for the whole race” (Nygren 278). Sherman Alexie is a Native American writer who grew up in Wellpinit, Washington, a Spokane Indian reservation. Alexie wrote poems, but people know him better for his novels and stories. He is known for his works, Reservation Blues, Indian Killer, and most importantly, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian was Alexie's first YA book. The book follows the main character, Junior, as he tries to live in both a white and Indian world after taking the chance to move away from the reservation and attend an all-white community high school. Junior's decision is identical to Alexie's when he was younger. Sherman Alexie’s novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, is influenced by his childhood and his determination to talk about the Native experience.

Alexie's childhood is a significant influence on his book. Junior and Alexie's communities are very similar. “The members of his community were plagued by poverty, violence and substance abuse” (Donovan 1). If there was one main factor in common between Alexie and Junior, their parents being affected by alcohol. Junior's dad would sometimes leave for days, even weeks. “My dad wasn’t violent, but he would leave us to go drinking” (Thiel 138). Which also happened to Alexie. Junior and Alexie had to find an escape from the environment of violence and alcohol abuse, which was moving away from his reservation and going to an all-white school, Reardan.  

 “I had to leave the rez school. And it was an incredible crazy thing to do” (Alexie 26). Junior is seen in the book trying to choose one side at Reardan, Indian or white. This quote is a prime example of Alexie putting his thoughts into his character. The book is named "Part-Time Indian" after all. There was a lot of similarities between Alexie's and Junior's life.  “But I grew up poor! So, to survive I had to assign a certain set of values for myself, when it came to measuring any emotion… My characters go through similar things” This could relate to when Junior was going to get pancakes with some friends from Reardan, and he wanted to hide the fact he was poor. He wanted to at least try and fit in with the kids at Reardan, but he also had to fit in back at home.

Junior was repeatedly made fun of for going to a white school, at the reservation, and even at home. The reservation saw white as hope, which was why he got fun of, which also happened to Alexie. "Loving books, loving school, the concept of school was seen as being white. The notion of any sort of success was seen as white” (Cerna). Due to this, Alexie particularly emphasizes his multi-tribal identity.  “I think fundamentalism is the mistaken belief that one belongs to only one tribe; I am the opposite of that.” (Davis and Stevenson 190). I think Alexie put this "multi-tribal identity" into his character. Junior thought that he could accept being both white and Indian. Even though this book surrounded Junior going to a white school, I think Alexie wanted to talk about the Native American Experience.

The purpose of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian was to shine a light on Native American life. “I write autobiographically, so when you talk about surviving pain and trauma and getting out of it – I did, I have!” (Nygren 282). The trauma to Junior is losing people not only by death but just by looking for hope at a place other than the reservation. The trauma is poverty and violence, from the bullying and Junior just being excited by a bucket of chicken, for he would go hungry for days. “…Combining storytelling(fiction) and reality of human experience (Nonfiction). Alexie demonstrates a commitment to telling the story of Native American experience.” 

In conclusion, Sherman Alexie's life has affected The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian in plenty of ways. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, is influenced by his childhood and his determination to talk about the Native experience. Sherman Alexie's life included poverty, the thought of being from two different cultures, leaving his home to find hope, and more which Junior had aswell. Even though this is between Alexie and Junior, I believe that both of their lives can relate to many other Native Americans.