Skip to main content

 Why is Junior hesitant to tell Rowdy? Why does he tell him? How does Rowdy react? Why does he react this way?
(Caroline Roche) 3#3


In chapter 6 we learned that Junior made a decision to transfer from the Rez’s school to Reardon. One of the things that was pulling him back and making the decision even harder was Rowdy. Junior is hesitant to break the news to Rowdy because they have been best friends since they were babies. Rowdy doesn’t have a family that he can fall back on, so it’s always been Junior. Junior thinks to himself, “he only talks about his dreams with me.” (Alexie 23). Junior tells Rowdy the next morning that he is transferring because, first, Rowdy is his best friend and he needs to tell the truth, and second, he wants Rowdy to transfer with him. While telling Rowdy the upsetting news, Junior says “I’m telling the truth. I’m leaving the rez, man, and I want you to come with me. Come on. It will be an adventure.” (Alexie 49). Rowdy doesn’t take the news very well. At first he convinces himself that Junior is only kidding because, he doesn’t want to believe it. For example when Junior first told Rowdy he says, “That’s not funny’’, and, “And when are you going on this imaginary  journey.” (Alexie 49). Rowdy acts that way because he thinks Junior is too much of a wuss to transfer. For example, Rowdy says, “You’ll never do it, you’re too scared.” When Junior’s decision finally came across to Rowdy, Junior touched his shoulder. Rowdy turned around and said, “Don’t touch me you retarted fag!” (Alexie 52). Rowdy starts crying and screams to the top of his lungs. Junior describes the scream as pure pain. Rowdy is this upset because he has no one else to turn to. His parents are alcoholics, and everyone else is afraid of him. On page 48 when Junior was approaching Rowdy, Junior says to himself, “He was alone, of course, Everybody was scared of him.” (Alexie 48). Rowdy was more mad then he was sad. After Junior pokes him on the shoulder again, Rowdy punches him and runs away. Poor Junior realized that, as he states, “my best friend had become my worst enemy.’’

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

#4. At the end of the novel what does Junior realize about his own identity, his life and Rowdy? (Andrew V)

At the end of the novel, Junior realizes a lot about himself and his life.  He realizes that he has so many happy memories with Rowdy and the rest of his friends. Junior says "When we were little, like ten years old, Rowdy and I climbed that sucker." In this quote he starts to remember the good times with Rowdy and how much fun they had together. He also figures out that he finds joy in lots of things, and isn't always depressed. And even though his family is broke and Indians are almost always drunk, when they aren't, they are the best people to be with in the world. Junior learns that Rowdy still cares for him, and even though they got in a fight, they will forever be friends. He still has things he look forward to in life.
Post a Comment
Read more

8. Why does Junior cry on pages 216 and 217- (Ben Surenian)

On Pages 216 and 217 Junior is crying because he is upset that Mary made tried to leave and search for her dreams. He then realized that he had made that attempt too. Mary left and Junior was upset but throughout the book he later realized he did the exact same thing as her. He explains “She went searching for her dreams, and she didn’t find them, but she made the attempt. And I was making the attempt, too. (Alexie 216). After he realized all this he started to cry, but the weeping was not only for himself and his sister, but he cried because in the next year more Spokane's would die as well, and from drinking, just like Mary. Junior explains “It all made me cry for my sister. It made me cry for myself. But I was crying because I knew five or ten or fifteen more Spokane’s would die during the next year, and that most of them would die because of booze. Junior cries because he realized he and his sister made the same attenpt of leaving the Rez and trying to find their dreams.
Post a Comment
Read more

#2 Who is the first game against? How is he treated by the crowd at the first game? How does the team (and coach) react / support him? How does this impact him? (Xavier I)

     The first game is against Wellpinit, his old school, now his rival. Consequently, the crowd treats him poorly, intimidating him by chanting, "Arnold Sucks!" (Alexie 143) and throwing things at him. Seeing the look on Arnold's face, Coach tells him he doesn't have to play this game. But, Arnold knew he had to play. He needed to prove something to his fellow tribal members, especially Rowdy. When he looked at Rowdy, it looked like he was just about to kill Junior. "He didn't want to turn his back on me. He wanted to kill me, face-to face." (Alexie 144) Thinking and looking at Rowdy, he starts to laugh, the only sound in the entire gym. But then coach joins him, as well as his teammates. They laugh all the way to the locker room, which makes him feel better. But then he starts to cry, overwhelmed with what just happened. But coach tries to support him. "If you care about something enough, its going to make you cry. But you have to get used to it. ...
Post a Comment
Read more