This is a hero’s journey essay on The Part-Time Indian, and I choose Junior as my hero. Junior is a Native American boy who struggles with disabilities but knows that he must leave the reservations at the end of the day. Junior faces numerous challenges, including his reservations about life, being teased by age mates, and beaten up. But despite all these challenges, Junior still emerges to be stronger than before; he is brilliant and ready for everything to escape the reservations of where he lives. Junior escapes poverty seeking admission at a whites school that is miles away from home; he believes that attending the school would help him overcome the reservation challenge that he was facing. The junior’s decision to move to a white school is highly opposed by family members and friends who view him as a perpetual outsider. Junior knows that he must leave the reservations surrounding his life, but he has no idea how he would do that. Junior is particularly concerned with the reservations on alcoholics and talks to his teacher about it. Furthermore, he is being teased and bullied just because of the reservations he has about alcoholics. According to Junior, the only hope of making his life better is by leaving the reservations. However, this would make his family and friends very upset with him.
Junior loves to draw cartoons and uses the artwork to ease his struggle on the reservations. He believes that by drawing the cartoons and other artwork, he would get his mind ways from the struggles that he currently faces, and it might be the appropriate direction towards leaving his reservations. He states, "So I draw because I want to talk to the world and I want the world to pay attention to me. I feel important with a pen in my hand. I might grow up to be somebody important. An artist. Maybe a famous artist. Maybe a rich artist" (Alexie and Forney, 2008). Junior shows how great he feels by drawing the cartoons and trust that the process would lead him to the "promised land." Junior is so certain about his talent and believes that he can use it to make his dream come true. Junior uses his drawing talent to show that not all struggles are bad, both the good things and bad things part of life.
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Junior eventually decides to leave the reservations despite the opposition and the struggles that he faces. Even though the decision was not easy, Junior had to decide because he could only achieve his goals by leaving the reservations. Junior had to decide against the will of family and friends. Junior was so sure that decision could ultimately change his life. Junior did not fit in very well on the reservation because he was different. He had a big head and a skinny body. He really wanted to leave the reservation. He was tired of being poor and wanted a better life. He talked to his teacher Mr. P about leaving the reservation. Junior listened to his teacher Mr. P and decided to go to school in Reardon. He is nervous about his decision but decided that he would stick with it. He is sad about leaving his best friend Rowdy, although Rowdy does not really show that he likes him very much. He gets mad at him a lot and yells mean things ( Alexie and Forney, 2008 ). Junior leaves the reservation knowing that he still has a best who helps go through the decision.
Eventually, Junior makes to Reardon and talks of going out for the basketball team. Junior is amazed at his progress, especially his ability to play basketball and become part of the varsity team, something he never believed he could do. One of the games on his schedule is against his former school, and Rowdy plays on the Wellpinit team. Even though he is booed while playing the game and being called names, Junior remains consistent and does not give up.
In conclusion, the story on junior's life struggles and how the struggles were just about to spoil his life, but he stood strong and fought to reinstate his life and put his life back on track. Junior and his family suffered many tragedies related to alcohol, fire, new and old friends, and family members' death. Despite his struggles, Junior struggled to overcome all the challenges to become a hero; he feels proud of his decision to leave the reservation. Junior is proud that his coach likes him and that he is part of a team. He finally felt that he truly belonged somewhere.
References
Alexie, S., & Forney, E. (2008). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian (p. 180). Recorded Books.
