The first thing that struck me before I even started reading this book was the title and the use of the word “Indian.” In our age of constant political correctness, I didn’t know what to expect when I saw the title on the syllabus, a book about a Native American or somebody from
The difference between our “normal” American culture and that of the Native Americans was a huge reason that I enjoyed this book. The biggest example for me was when Junior’s grandma dies and he says, “Each funeral was a funeral for all of us. We lived and died together” (166). This is philosophy that is not very prevalent in our culture. We tend to think “Every man for himself” and things like that, but in this culture everyone is connected and feels like they’re all in it together. I suppose that’s why it’s such a big deal when Junior leaves the reservation. Everyone else stays in part because that’s what everybody does, and by leaving Junior has forsaken that mentality. His friends see him as a kind of traitor, but he really is making the best decision he can for his future. The interesting this is that not everyone, and in fact very few people, see it that way. The best thing for the future is to stay on the reservation and remain connected to your family and friends, no matter the quality of life. Junior sees a different reality. He wants to do something in the world and the only way to do that is to attend a different school, so he makes that decision knowing that he will be scorned. He is now a part of two different worlds, and really not a total part of either one.
As we grow up, we are constantly trying to figure out how to best fit in to the culture around us. A very funny example of this comes in “The Unofficial and Unwritten Spokane Indian Rules of Fisticuffs” (61). In his reservation life, Junior has a schema that he understands in regard to fighting. But outside of the reservation, the rules are completely different. Junior punched Roger because that’s what he understood he was supposed to do, but Roger walked away and Junior was very confused. He had followed the rules that he knew, but the rules were different here. Junior has changed his schema to fit into his new understanding of the world, and I think everybody does that as they grow up, not just adolescents. We have understandings of the world we live in, and when something doesn’t fit into our understanding either we disregard it or we change our understanding to make it fit. Junior didn’t just change his understanding, he expanded it, something very few people on the reservation seem willing to do. And as he changed his understanding of the world, he changed his understanding of himself as well. No longer was he a freak Indian kid like he seemed to see himself through his drawings, but he was accepted by other kids and a star basketball player. So much of our personality is defined simply by how we see ourselves, and when he was able to see himself in a different way, he was able to see the world and his situation in a different way as well.
One part of the book that did bother me a little bit was when Junior’s new team plays his old reservation high school and beats them by 40 points. Junior is ashamed for beating his old teammates because he knows they don’t eat enough, have abusive parents, have no future, and various other problems. Here’s my problem: Had the reservation team won that game, NONE OF THAT WOULD HAVE CHANGED! Look, I love sports, the main class that I teach is Sports Literature, and I watch them a lot. But I detest the notion that winning a game makes anything better. Had Wellpinit won that game, the kids would not have had more to eat, would still have abusive parents, and most likely would still have not gone on to college. The game is simply that: a game. To be so ashamed because you beat another team full of kids that have a hard life does no good. If you really want to help them, don’t let them win a basketball game, give them a bag full of groceries or a place to spend the night. Even with how much I enjoyed this book, this scene left a sour taste in my mouth.
You are right about the game - none of that would have changed had Wellpinit won - and he knows that. I believe the reason he is ashamed is b/c he knows they already really have nothing - that many have given up already on so many things - and that beating the Giant would have given them something they didn't have - pride, respect, a moment of glory, hope, I don't know - something they didn't have and had little opportunity to get in other ways. This was a chance for their lights to shine but instead their lights went out and he had a hand in that.
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