Reading Response: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

In this coming of age novel, the main character is an indian, 14 year-old boy named Arnold. Arnold is basically a nerd. He's smart, has a lisp, has a stutter, isn't so charming, and gets bullied on a daily basis. He grew up on a reservation (i think it's a place where Indians live or something like that) and apparently on the "rez" everyone is pretty much poor. When Arnold realizes that the textbook he used in geometry class, was the same one his mother used thirty years back, it was the last straw. He didn't want to be learning something so old, when he could be learning modern day advanced educaion...so he made a big decision...he transfered schools. He transfers to Rearden. A school where its all white poeple (except for when he starts to go there).

I know it doesn't seem like a big thing to  you, because people transfer schools all the time, but on the reservation it was a HUGE deal. People at the rez sort of feel offended because it's like admitting that that's not good enough, and that's against the rules (and by the rules, i mean the imaginary rules of life in which exist to the people in the book). When Arnold's bestfriend (and only friend)  Rowdy finds out that Arnold will be going to Reardan, he basically ends the friendship. Arnold's heart is broken into pieces, and  he's scarred.