Deep Question: Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Sherman Alexie's novel Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, we follow the defining moments in Junior's life through his journal. What defining moments would you write about? Why is telling/sharing our stories so important?
-TRH

Megan Deutschman: The House of the Scorpion

The House of the Scorpion was published as a science fiction novel in 2002. When reading it, I couldn’t quite appreciate that it was in the science fiction genera because honestly, it’s not all that futuristic. Hovercrafts exist, communism and dictatorships are alive and well, human rights debates and wars rage on and cloning is no longer a challenge to today’s scientists. One thing that did strike me about this novel though was the issues of eugenics. In the novel people were cloned and created to be a certain way. It’s totally possible to do this in our world today. So please weigh in, dear classmates, where do you stand on the issue of eugenics? (This is something we are currently dealing with as a society but, I guarantee, will become a more poignant debate in the near future.) Is it “right” to be able to choose the sex of our future children? Their looks? Their intelligence? Should we never give birth to a human with defects if it’s avoidable? What do you feel are the pros and cons of eugenics?

Deep question from House of the Scorpion

On page 197 Matt philosophizes about the eejits, and how they don't have any sensations or emotions because of a computer chip implanted into their brains.

-On the surface, Matt read, nothing could could have seemed more humane. After all, what is suffering but an awareness of suffering?

Do you agree with this passage? And if so why? What would the world be like if we were able to stop the human condition of suffering?

Absolutely True Story: Deep Question

When Junior encounters Penelope at his school in Reardon, he is immediately head-over-heels. On page 116 in the book, Junior asks Gordy for advice about how to make a "white girl" fall in love with an Indian. Gordy says that he will do some research and get back to him. A few days later, he explains to Junior that he found an article about a white girl who disappeared in Mexico last summer. Gordy goes on to explain, "over two hundred Mexican girls have disappeared in the last three years in that same part of the country. And nobody says much about that. And that's racist. The guy who wrote the article says people care more about beautiful white girls than they do about everyone else on the planet. White girls are privileged. They're damsels in distress."

Do you agree that the media places more importance on the white culture? If so, in what situations? Do you think Americans portrayed as a superior race? Support your opinion with examples.

House of the Scorpion

The world has the technology NOW to clone not only animals but also humans. In the book "The House of the Scorpion" Matt was a clone, made from the tissue of El Patron. In the book Matt had to deal with a lot of discrimination including being told he was only being grown for spare parts, and being constantly reminded that he was not a "real" human. Do you think that this type of discrimination would happen if we started to make clones from humans? Do you think that clones should be treated as humans thus having the same laws and rights as us?

Deep Question: "True Diaries"

I believe that the school policy on the reservation for all teachers to live on the reservation contributes to a lower quality of education for those students. Do you think if this policy did not exist, a different or better body of educators would choose to work at the school and therefore improve the educational value to the students?

the House of the Scorpion

On page 75 we read "Matt was more than a little disappointed when Tam Lin brought out a sleepy gray horse instead of the spirited steed El Latigo Negro rode." This reminded me of how disappointed I was as a child when Mr. Bubble, the character who always showed up to talk to the children in the bubble bath soap commercials, never came to talk to me! Do you have a similar childhood memory where your vision never became a reality?

Persepolis Deep Question

Marji's parents unselfishly decide to send her to Austria at the young age of 14. The tell her to never forget who she is and where she came from. She fills a jar with Iranian dirt from the garden. If you were forced to leave your home and you knew you may never go back, what would you take with you as a memory of your home?

The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Deep Question

Junior is at an age where fitting in with your peers is everything. He struggles most of his life to make and keep friends due to his physical impairments and appearance. When he decides to go to Reardon, he does not fit in but yet he goes out of his way to make connections with other students. Surprisingly, he does become accepted relatively quickly and makes some friends and even a sort of girlfriend. Do you think the friendships were genuine? Or do you think his new friends were intrigued by the novelty of befriending the one Native American from the rez kid in school?

Persepolis Deep Question:

In Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, When Marji is taken by the Guardians of the Revolution, the women's branch, because of how she is dressed. She is forced to lie to them so they will let her go home. Have you ever been forced to lie so that you can get out of a terrible or uncomfortable situation? If so did you feel bad about it after?

The House of the Scorpion

Far into the book, Matt escapes in search of Maria. Once he is across, he is put in an orphanage for the Lost Boys and is controlled by the "Keepers." Do you think his time in the orphanage gave him the confidence that he was in fact a human being even though he was a "clone" since he was more accepted by the other Lost Boys thus giving him more determination to reach his destination? And what valuable lessons did Matt learn along this journey?

The Absolutely True Story...

Junior left the Rez in search for a better education and a better chance at a life. The people on the Rez disowned him in a way and thought he was sort of traitor for leaving his people. Have you ever done something to change your life for the better where you feared that you would be disowned by your family or friends?

The House of the Scorpion

Opium represents pure capitalism where only the most able and most ruthless acquire wealth (El Patron) at the expense of others who are less able or at a disadvantage (the people crossing the border into Opium being enslaved as eejits). The orphan boys working for the good of the people in Aztlan represents pure communism where they are expected to meet work quotas in exchange for room and board but are not paid based on individual performance or allowed to acquire wealth at the expense of others. Which economic system is more just in your mind and why? Can you list any contemporary examples of communism or capitalism taken too far or that work well?

The House of the Scorpion

The very first chapter of this book is what caught my attention the most. Matt seemed like such a scared child having to be locked in Celia's house all day long and not knowing anything about the outside world. Finally one day all these children showed up outside his window and he was so excited that he broke the window to get out. Once the children knew who Matt was they all treated him like he was an animal. Why do you think Maria didn't treat Matt like that and why do you think she continued to be his friend and take care of him?

Persepolis: Deep Question

In Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, throughout the chaos Marji parents continue to send her to school despite the drastic change in curriculum and bias. What do you think they're motivations were? Would you continue to send your child if presented with a similar situation? Why is education so important even in times of war, or is it?

-TRH

Absolutely True Diary

The main character Arnold/Junior talks openly about Indian Reservations, at one point he even calls them "Death Camps". He also talks in depth about life on a Reservation and Native American beliefs and rules. How as this the book changed your views about Indian Reservations and Native Americans? Do you think the descriptions were accurate?

Arnold, our protagonist confronts senseless death over and over. He becomes very depressed, but is always able to overcome these tragedies. What is it that gives him his strength to keep moving forward. Many people in a similar situation would give up, and become victims of their own depression. How is Arnold different?

Part-Time Indian

In the book Junior said:
"I'd always been the lowest Indian on the reservation totem pole - I wasn't expected to be good so I wasn't. But in Reardan, my coach and the other players wanted me to be good. They needed me to be good. They expected me to be good. And so I became good."
This happens all over the world, children are told they can not do something and so they don't or they feel like they can't. How did this affect Junior? Have you ever been told that you can't do something? Did you end up proving them wrong? How did that affect you?

Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian Deep Question

Towards the end of the book Junior is recalling the monster pine tree he and Rowdy had climbed and he couldn't believe they had actually done it. Junior also wound up in disbelief he had left the Rez and was succeeding in his new school, something he thought he never thought possible. What else do you think Junior could surprise himself by doing? Have you ever done something you look back on now and can't believe you did or never thought you would actually do?