Junior made the mistake of touching Rowdy when he was angry and his reward was a punch in the face. Rowdy hates losing. Losing by one or two points is bad. But losing by more than forty points every game is Rowdy's breaking point. Thinking that his only friend is transferring to his most hated school is unbearable. But Junior going to his most hated school isn't the only thing that made Rowdy cry in anger. Junior is Rowdy's only friend, his best friend. If Junior leaves, that means Rowdy would have no one. In the rez, Junior is the only thing that keeps Rowdy from going crazy and start throwing punches at everyone. If Junior wasn't Rowdy's friend, Rowdy would not have anything to care about. He doesn't want the only thing in the world that can keep him happy leave him forever.
Do you think Junior should've told Rowdy? What would you have done if you were in Rowdy's shoes? Would you have done what Rowdy did? Do you think Rowdy went overboard with the punch? Do you think there are more significant and deeper meanings during the chapter? Any foreshadowing? Explain.
I agree that Rowdy didn't want Junior to go to the school that he hated, although I don't think it was the most important reason for his violent behavior. Rowdy is characterized as a tough, violent boy. Someone with characteristics like this, as well as having a rough childhood/experience with his dad, is not someone who you would see crying in mourn about losing a friend. Rather than being discontent about losing his friend, Rowdy was angry that his friend, in some form, "betrayed" him. Rowdy took the act of moving to an all-white school as an act of changing loyalty. By leaving the rez, Junior was sort of dismissing the community/society within the rez because he thought they were inferior to the white people. This was what Rowdy interpreted, then expressed his anger towards the "traitor" though his violent actions. This abrupt misunderstanding was probably a lack of explanation from Junior. He only stated that he was going to an all-white school, which Rowdy most likely took as discontentment with his current life, which Rowdy was a part of. By leaving the rez to go to Reardan was basically saying that whites were better than Indians, in this case Rowdy, which is seen by Rowdy as an act of betrayal. Because Junior's statement lacked clarity, Rowdy didn't understand that Junior was changing schools in hope to follow his dreams, not because he believed he would have a better life/experience in a white atmosphere as opposed to an Indian one.
ReplyDeleteJunior was hesitant to tell Rowdy about him switching schools because Junior knows that Rowdy doesn't like Reardon, and he doesn't want to upset him. I think Rowdy acted that way because he didn't want Junior to go to Reardon, the school he hates, but also because Junior is Rowdy's only friend and with Junior going to Reardon its like he betrayed Rowdy and the reservation.
ReplyDeleteJunior was hesitant to tell Rowdy about him switching schools because Junior knows that Rowdy doesn't like Reardon, and he doesn't want to upset him. I think Rowdy acted that way because he didn't want Junior to go to Reardon, the school he hates, but also because Junior is Rowdy's only friend and with Junior going to Reardon its like he betrayed Rowdy and the reservation.
ReplyDeleteI think that Junior was hesitant because he knew what Rowdy was capable of. He knew that Rowdy would be angry and mad but he didn't think that Rowdy would physically hurt him. After Rowdy hit him, Junior knew that he could lose his only friend. I think Junior made a good decision telling Rowdy instead of just leaving because they were still best friends and if Junior put himself in that position, I think he would have wanted to be told. I don't think Rowdy went overboard with the punch because it wasn't a surprise that he had that in him. If it were anyone else then that is a whole different story. Rowdy is known for being violent. Junior at least asked Rowdy to come to the new school with him. They could start their new journey together.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Molly, because he knows that once he tells Rowdy about moving, anything can happen. Rowdy can get physical or emotional. I think that Junior wasn't sure what to expect of Rowdy after he received the news. If I was Junior, I would have told Rowdy because if he didn't tell him, Rowdy could have gotten even more mad because he would have found out sooner or later. I don't think Rowdy went overboard because he was vey mad. I don't think you want your only best friend to leave you to go to your enemy school. I wasn't VERY surprised that Junior got punched because Rowdy is violent and speaks his mind. After that news, Rowdy's mind was going to speak, physically. I think it was sweet of Junior to ask Rowdy to come with him because he didn't want to leave him alone. They could escape together.
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