During the basketball game, Junior and Rowdy go head to head, playing defense and offense, and having to guard each other throughout the entire game. Junior was proud of himself right after the game because he beat his “enemies” by forty points and because he was able to stay with Rowdy and only let him get four points. When his team held him on their shoulders after the game, he saw the look on Wellpinits faces. He then looked up to his dad only to see the sad look on his face. “I thought he’d be cheering. But he wasn’t. He wasn’t even looking at me. He was all quiet-faced as he looked at something else. So I looked at what he was looking at. It was the Wellpinit Redskins, lined up at their end of the court, as they watched us celebrate our victory.” (195) This passage shows how Junior was excited about winning the biggest game of the season, but also how he is surprised that his dad isn’t cheering for him. Instead, he has a sad face on while looking at Wellpinit. In this moment, Junior starts to experience guilt. He felt ashamed because he realized that he had a great life and a basketball game between two small-schools shouldn’t determine how the rest of his life is lived.
At the end of the night, Junior is crying in the bathroom. His teammates thought he was crying tears of joy when really they were tears of shame. He was ashamed that he was too into the game to realize that he actually wanted to hurt his best friend. “I was crying because I had broken my best friend’s heart.” (196) This passage shows how Junior could never replace Rowdy even with his new white friends. The bond they hold is too strong to break even with a fight like this. Junior still considers Rowdy his best friend but does Rowdy still consider Junior his best friend?
Do you think Rowdy will forgive Junior? Why or why not? How will Juniors social ranking change after this game? Do you have any predictions on what will happen to Junior in the future? (i.e. college, jobs)
I agree with Molly, Junior is sad about the outcome of the game. Before the game started Junior wanted to give revenge to Wellprint. He wanted to show Rowdy that he was good too and that it was his night to shine. Then after the game when they killed Wellprint, he realized that they, Rearden, were the successful ones. Sure the Rearden kids had problems, but they are nothing compared to problems on the Rez. Kids at Rearden had iPods and xboxes but some kids at the rez “might not have eaten breakfast that morning” (195). Junior realized that they won this game and the kids at Rearden did not even need it. Its the kids who have almost nothing who need it. After Wellprint lost the game they were so devastated, they lost almost all of their other games the rest of the year. This makes Junior cry, because he cries easily and because he feels bad for his former “friends”. His teammates think it is tears of joy, but really he feels awful for what he just did to Rowdy and the entire Wellprint team. I feel that Junior will become more popular because of the game. He might become one of the most popular kids in the grade. If any girl did not already like Arnold, then now they do after he becomes the star of the basketball team.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with Molly and Liam. This game for Junior was a huge confidence booster. Junior was jumping higher than he could believe. For the first time when people said to Junior “you can do it” he believed he could too. In the chapter “In Like A Lion” was a perfect example of how a little confidence could go a long way. Junior said,“ Overnight, I became a good player. I suppose it had something to do with confidence. I mean, I’d always been the lowest Indian on the reservation totem pole” (180). Junior is so not use to confidence that in some parts of the chapter he thought he was had a big ego, but it wasn’t it was only a little cup confidence.
ReplyDeleteI do think Rowdy would forgive Junior. “He may not have loved me perfectly, but he loved me as well as he could” (189). In the reading you could see that Junior and Rowdy’s friendship began to spark a little because Junior email Rowdy and he actually replied. Junior’s social status will go to the roof because he is dating Penelope and now he is good at basketball. He will become a jock most likely. Why do you think Junior’s mom fainted? Shocked? Excited?
I agree with what Molly said. I do think that Rowdy will forgive Junior because, as Molly said how close their bond is. That even with a huge fight like the one their having they need each other. They might say horrible things to each other, but they will always need each other. Junior's social ranking at school will definitely go up, because of the game. Almost the whole town went to the game so many people will know who he is. For Junior in the future I think that he's going to make up with Rowdy. I also think that he might try and help the rex become a better place with better opportunities. What do you think will happen in the future with Junior, but with Penelope?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Molly and Dirtz. Junior's ultimate goal was to beat the Wellpinit school, and most importantly to shame his best friend, and to show Rowdy that Junior was better than him. In the opening play, Junior mortified Rowdy, and held him down the remainder of the game. Because of Junior, the Reardan team was led to victory. But, like Molly said, Junior was happy and proud of himself, but then was overcome with guilt and shame himself when he saw his dad's expression and though about the situation. He had just taken something huge away from his friends, something that just might have the been the only good thing in their lives. He looked at the bigger picture of things, and realized how much more privileged the Reardan kids were than the rez kids, and understood that Reardan didn't need that win as much as Wellpinit did. Like Dirtz said, the problems the kids at Reardan faced were nothing compared to what the Indians had to deal with in their everyday lives, instead of showing the Wellpinit kids up, Junior instead crushed them emotionally and mentally, taking away something that was of huge importance to them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Molly. Junior was feeling mixed emotions about this game. After the game, he was very happy, but also bawling his eyes out. He was happy because he beat his “enemies”, but sad because he “broken his best friend’s heart” (196). Junior is happy because this was his best, but also worst game ever. He had been a starter and he had only let Rowdy score four points, only two baskets, instead of eighty points. This was his worst game because he only shot the ball once, and made a three pointer. He had only made three points instead of twenty. I think that eventually, in a little while, Rowdy and Junior will become friends again. Rowdy and Junior are starting to talk by email, which is a huge step from no talking, to emailing. Rowdy and Junior have a bond way too strong to be broken. I think that Junior will find a way to fix things.
ReplyDeleteI think that Rowdy will find a way to forgive Junior. I think this because they used to be best friends, and it must be really hard for Rowdy to act like he hates Junior. I personally don't think that he's forgotten Junior, or even hates him. Also, I think that throughout his time at his new school, people will continue to warm up to him, and even become friends with him. Also, I think that even though right now Junior's life is pretty crappy, his future will be good, and he'll end up with a good job.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Olivia, I think that Rowdy will forgive Junior. I think that Rowdy is just jealous of Junior and how he gets to go to Reardon. But, they used to be best friends and it would be hard to let such a special friendship go. I think that after the game, Junior will gain more friends and become more popular. I also think that Junior will eventually leave the Rez and Reardon area, and get a job as a cartoonist, or comic book writer.
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