3. Name/explain three issues/hurdles Junior encounters in his transition to Reardon.
During Juniors transfer to Reardan, he encounters opposing feelings from the Indians on the Rez, including his best friend Rowdy and the white students at Reardan. One of his many obstacles is everyone on the Rez’s reaction to his decision to transfer to an all white school. Junior is already looked down on by everyone except for Rowdy and his decision to leave only increases their negative feelings towards him. After telling Rowdy about his decision, “He got up, stared me hard in the eyes, then spit on the floor.” (49) Rowdy showed his anger and disgust when he “stared” Junior in the eyes and “spit” on the floor. Rowdy feels that he has invested so much time in Junior and he is upset that Junior just decides to leave him. Being the only Indian at Reardan makes him stand out even more than he did back on the Reservation. During a conversation with Penelope, he misspeaks his name and she responds with telling him that he is the “only boy who can’t figure out his own name.” Junior feels that he is different and the “only” one who comes from a distinct background. He was different in the Rez because of his disabilities, but now his culture is separating him from his new peers. Junior is now being teased because he is an Indian. The teasing and bullying from the other students frightens him, which forces him to respond with violence. Roger makes a statement insulting Indians, black people, and buffalo prompting Junior to think, “I wasn’t just defending myself. I was defending Indians, black people, and buffalo.” (65) Junior decided to stand up for the people who couldn’t stand up for themselves. Junior’s transfer is affecting his life
Do you think Junior’s life will get harder because of his transfer? If so how will he handle the change?
Was Junior’s reaction to Rogers insult appropriate?
Why do you think Roger didn’t fight Junior?
I agree with Will. High School is hard for everyone, but going to school in a foreign land was a whole different story for Junior. I felt another major obstacle Junior faces was that he was transforming to a part time indian. Junior was use to not belonging at the reservation, and when Junior came to Reardan he knew he didn’t fit in. But Junior began to realize he was becoming someone who he was not. Junior said “I went from being a small target in Wellpinit to being a larger target in Reardan.” Junior was getting respect from big guys and he was winning fist fights which was not who Arnold Spirit Jr. was. Within a few days Junior was already losing his identity and forming to a different person. Do you think Junior will make any friends? Do you think Junior will lose all of his identity? Will Rowdy ever forgive Junior.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is impossible for Junior to lose all his identity, because his choice to move to Reardon was his alone. If he stayed at Wellpinit, then he would be submitting to society and what limitations it has placed on him. By showing that he can break free of those limitations, Junior is reclaiming himself from society. I agree with Layla that he is forming into a new person, but that new person is just a better, stronger, more confident, and above all, more hopeful version of himself. Is that really losing your identity?
ReplyDeleteI agree with both Will and Layla. I think that Junior's life will definitely get harder in Reardon. He's just trying to fit in. For example on page 64 Junior said that he wanted to put an end to the bullying or he would be called "Chief" and other names until the end of the year. Junior is also surprised how the people at Reardon handle situations. They didn't fight back like Arnold thought that they would do when he punched Roger. Roger and is group of friends were in fact in shock that Junior would do such a thing as punch him. Why do you think that Roger and his friends were surprised when Arnold punched him?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Layla, Ranch, and Sharon. Of course Junior's life will be harder at first at his new school. But eventually he will learn to either disregard people's comments and not let them put him down even more, or he'll learn to defend himself in a way in which other people as well can see that racism and bullying is ridiculous.
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