The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian

Imagine you're an Indian. No, not a Memetic Badass or Magical Native American. No, imagine you're born with hydrocephalus, ten extra teeth, and you've had glasses since age 3. And you have a lisp and stutter even in high school. Now imagine you go to a white school. And your reservation friends hate you for it. And even there, you're smarter than the teachers.

That is the world of Arnold Spirit Jr. in Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.


 * The Alcoholic - Arnold's dad. Arnold's mom is a recovering alcoholic. He comments that almost everyone on the rez is an alcoholic.
 * Author Avatar - Sherman Alexie had hydrocephalus as a kid, and went to a white school.
 * Badass Native - Arnold gets to be a Memetic Badass for one day.
 * Baseball Episode - Technically basketball episode, but still...
 * The Beautiful Elite - Penelope. Not really "evil" like they usually are, just seriously messed up.
 * Berserk Button - Do not remind Arnold that he's poor.
 * Brains and Brawn - Arnold and Rowdy.
 * The Complainer Is Always Wrong - There's a scene in a science class that plays this straight.
 * Computer Wars - Dear God, don't get Gordy started on Mac vs. PC.
 * Death by Newbery Medal -
 * Kids Are Cruel - A regular theme.
 * Magical Queer - Outright stated.
 * Meaningful Name - Arnold Spirit. Rowdy. Also, Mary's nickname is Mary Runs Away.
 * Muscles Are Meaningless
 * Nerd Glasses
 * Racist Grandma - Averted, since Arnold's grandma is the only character besides Arnold who is tolerant of homosexuals.
 * Romance Novel - Parodied and deconstructed.
 * Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness - Tautology!
 * Shoot the Dog - Literally.
 * Shout-Out - Euripides and Tolstoy, among others.
 * Take That - Likely Ted Nugent.
 * Trauma Conga Line:
 * "What the Hell?" Dad - Arnold Spirit Sr.
 * What Happened to the Mouse? - Penelope's eating disorder is mentioned once, early in her and Arnold's acquaintance, and it baffles him -- then never comes up again.
 * You Keep Using That Word - Boner.