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?
If I were Junior I wouldn't blame my parents for his poverty because they were also born into it too, and so were his grandparents and great-grandparents etc. I wouldn't blame him for getting mad a few times about his poverty and how he can't have all the things that some other kids his age have, but he shouldn't argue with his parents about it because its not there fault.
ReplyDeleteI respecfully disagree with Alex. I feel Junior was NEVER really wanted to blame his parents for his poverty, because in the chapter he blames his ancestors from way back. In the chapter " Why A Chicken Means So Much To Me" he actually states that it's not his parents fault on page eleven. Junior doesn't blame his parents because his parents didn't do anything to harm or add to the poverty in their family. I think the author capitalized the explode to give a emphasize on how important theyare. I honestly feel Junior doesn't really need his parents because they do not really support him. His parents just give him more poverty to deal with and a home. Would you leave the reservation because of the poverty? Why?
ReplyDeleteI sense that Junior is very confused in this situation. There wasn't really a single event that Junior experienced that "caused" their poverty, so it's hard for him to see why they live this way. When 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," he's contemplating where the poverty came from, and figures out that it was there all along. Thinking this, like Alex said, he doesn't know who to blame it on. His parents are the ones who have been experiencing the poverty with him, so he looks to them for the blame, (in response to Alex's question "Is Junior overreacting when he says that his”world would EXPLODE without them [his parents]?") but realizes that they've only been trying to make it better. He is not overreacting, he is simply realizing all they've done instead of blaming them. In response to Layla's question "Would you leave the reservation because of the poverty? Why?" if I were Junior, I think I would. Seeing what his parents have gone through and the thoughts he's experiencing, when he becomes a parent himself, he probably doesn't want his children to go through what he did, and be the one to blame for the poverty. If Junior ended up staying at the reservation, would he accept the way of life like his parents do?
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