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#2 What is Mr. P's advice to Junior? Why does he give this advice? (Tess H.)


In the book, “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie, Mr. P gives the protagonist, Junior, some strong but risky advice. After finding out that Junior’s textbook was the same that his mom used thirty years ago, he threw the textbook resulting in a suspension and Mr. P having a broken nose. A few days later, Mr. P and Junior have a deep discussion where Mr. P shares the advice, “You have to leave this reservation”(Alexie 42). Junior is confused at first, but then starts to realize that if he wants to do well in the future and break the cycle of lost hope, he has to separate himself from all the people that have chosen to give up. On Junior's reservation, most of the people are alcoholics and haven’t done anything with their lives. Junior has always been an outsider on the reservation because of his looks, but it’s also because he has a lot of hope and determination that others don’t. Before their conversation ends, Mr. P states, “you have to take your hope and go somewhere where other people have hope”(Alexie 43). Mr. P wants to see an Indian on this reservation do well in life and follow their passion. Not many young Indians have the hope within themselves that Junior does, therefore, Mr. P gave Junior this advice because he wants to see him succeed and do well in his lifetime.

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