Why does Junior say “it sucks to be poor…” (13)? What does “poverty teach you”? Explain.

In the chapter "Why Chicken Means So Much to Me" Junior said that "It sucks to be poor..." (13). He says this because once you're poor "you somehow feel like you deserve to be poor... because you're stupid and ugly," (13) Alexie is showing the reader what Junior is feeling. Junior starts to believe that the reason for all of this is because that he's Indian. He thinks that there's nothing he can do about it. It seems that Junior doesn't like being Indian. He doesn't fit in anywhere and he realizes that. On that same page Junior said that "poverty only teaches you how to be poor," (13). Some people might say that if someone is in poverty it teaches them to not take things for granted or how to stay strong. Here in this quote Junior is going back on that and saying that poverty doesn't help you. By saying this it shows that the education that you get out of being poor is how to keep being poor. 

Do you agree with what Junior is saying about poverty? Why or why not? What do you think poverty teaches someone? Why do you think this? 

On what does Junior blame their poverty? Refer back to the explanation of his parents.

In the chapter of “Why Chicken means so much to me”, Junior talks about who he blames for his family’s poverty situation. Junior and his family are the poorest of the poorest on the rez. He is very poor, but doesn't know on who or what to blame it on. He “wanted to hate Dad and Mom for our [their] poverty” (11). Junior wanted to blame their poverty on his parents because he doesn't know on what  to blame poverty on. But he realizes that he can not do this. When Junior says “ my world would EXPLODE without them” (11), it shows how he can’t blame his parents because he can’t live without them. He needs them and their love, help, and support. “It’s not like my mother and father were born into wealth” (11). Juniors shows how his parents aren't to blame because it’s not like they were ever rich and just used up all the money. He says “My parents came from poor people who came from poor people who came from poor people, all the way back to the very first poor people” (11). By using the words “who came from poor people” numerous times, Sherman Alexie is emphasizing how Junior’s family was never rich or had a lot of money. Junior wants to blame someone for their poverty, but decides that this person or people won't and can't be his parents.

Do you think that Junior blaming his parents for their poverty was a good thing to do? Is Junior overreacting when he says that his”world would EXPLODE without them [his parents]”? Do you think it was necessary to repeat the words “who came from poor people” a numerous amount of times? If you were Junior, would you blame your parents for your poverty? Why or why not?

What is “absolutely the saddest thing in the world”? Explain why Junior says this and the implication.

In the chapter "Because Geometry is not a Country Somewhere Near France", Junior says this line when he realizes that he is using textbooks handed down from his parents. This shocks him because it truly shows how bad the poverty is in the rez, that they can't even afford to buy a new set of books for every generation. Junior understood that he was poor, as well as the rest of the rez, but he never knew the situation was that bad. Seeing this completely crushed him, because he now understood how poor he really was. To show what he thinks of the book and what he thinks it represents, Junior uses the words "old, old, old, decrepit" (31) (decrepit means worn out or ruined because of old age). The significance of putting "decrepit" in italics is to emphasize what the book really is to Junior: a old, torn up book from a previous generation. Junior then expresses his feelings and emotions towards seeing this by using the line "hit my heart with the force of a nuclear bomb." (31) A nuclear bomb is one of the most devastating and destructive weapons today. By using a nuke in a metaphor representing how angry he feels, Junior conveys the depth of the impact on him upon finding out how poor the people of the rez really were. If using a nuke metaphor wasn't enough to show his emotion, he then adds a picture (worth a thousand words). This picture portrays Junior chucking the book at Mr. P with an extremely emphasized SMASH! and zigzag lines around Junior to show that he is not a happy camper. Junior uses this picture, once again, to show the depth of his anger and hatred. With all these words and even an overly dramatic picture, Junior thoroughly expresses how sad and angry he feels at the same time, and sums all of it up in one line by saying that this event was "absolutely the saddest thing in the world."

Do you think this has given Junior a new perspective on his poverty situation? Do you agree with the way he reacted to this situation? Was it reasonable for him to chuck a book at his teacher, given the mental state he was in? How would you have reacted? Do you now feel sympathy and pity for Junior? Why or why not?

Welcome...

Welcome...

Welcome to Mr. Rossiter's English blog. We will use this space to further our discussions outside of the classroom. This is also a place where every student will continue to work on writing. We will push ourselves to become thoughtful and concise with our written words. You will find this blog a wonderful resource as we study this classic novel. Also feel free to add images or movies that you want to share. Thanks.