YA2: The Truth About The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Personally growing up and going to school in a majorly white, affluent community, I have made the observation that conversations about race, particularly for white people, is very uncomfortable. White people have become scared to say the wrong thing, so they say nothing at all. It is both interesting and difficult for me to understand why we continue to shove history under the doormat; why we teach our children that racism is a word of a former, less enlightened time, why we ignore the challenges of our peers that we have historically caused. It wasn't until I reached college that I began to have conversations about white priveledge, equity, and demographic inequalities. Despite the positive direction this is taking, I often find that these types of conversations tend to exclude Native Americans.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie is often labeled as an "edgy" text for young adults. In some of my own classes I have found that there has been a debate around this book and whether or not it is appropriate for classroom use. I decided to read the book for myself to find out what all of the buzz is about. In my experience with the book, there was very little I found too offensive for a young audience. The only elements that I would consider in deciding whether to read this book with a certain age group is whether or not they are ready for the use of offensive language (swear words) and stereotypical jokes used in an ironic fashion. If a group of students is mature enough to find positive humor in these elements, then this book is perfectly appropriate.
I believe that the question around this book really boils down to the discomfort around the conversation of race. If we think about the traditional literary canon, which was created prior to the integration of the public school system, all of the books were chosen, most likely, by white men. The literary canon of a traditional high school English class typically includes very few diverse books. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian includes some stereotypical elements of life on Native American reservations, as well as unique experiences that I would never imagine having never met anyone who has lived in a reservation. To understand this text, the reader must understand that when the narrator makes jokes about Native Americans, it is appropriate as the narrator is a Native American himself, giving him ownership of the topic, and the jokes often function to make fun of the racism that they face from white America. White classrooms are not used to books that challenge these types of topics, yet, they are okay with books like Huckleberry Finn that has directly racist characters and openly uses the N-word? It may be a relic of its time but should not be considered any more influential than books that are written from the perspective of the group that is oppressed.
Recently, another question surrounding The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Does the beliefs or actions of the author in his personal life affect the quality of the work? Sherman Alexie, the author of this book, has been accused and confessed to allegations of sexual harrassment and assault. The women who have come forward to speak about their negative experiences with Alexie have often been writers with whom Alexie reached out to with interested in their poems, books, blogs, etc. Due to Alexie's success with The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, the women were eager to meet with him and to accept him as a mentor; however, there were only greeted with unwanted sexual advances. Alexie has confirmed the women's accusations as true and apologized.
Given the current revelation of the author's true colors, are his novels therefore nullified as successful works? I'm sure many parents are going to be less likely to buy his work now that there is a blemish upon his name, but, should we discontinue the study and pleasure of his former successes? As an author for children, I believe that like any professional who works with or for the benefit of children, should have a clean record, especially with sexually related offenses. I believe that if this book were to be taught in a classroom, there should be some discussion before or after reading it about the author's personal life and whether or not the students believe it changes the writing in any sort of way. With that being said, I think highschool is the most appropriate age group to be able to handle this sort of content.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie is often labeled as an "edgy" text for young adults. In some of my own classes I have found that there has been a debate around this book and whether or not it is appropriate for classroom use. I decided to read the book for myself to find out what all of the buzz is about. In my experience with the book, there was very little I found too offensive for a young audience. The only elements that I would consider in deciding whether to read this book with a certain age group is whether or not they are ready for the use of offensive language (swear words) and stereotypical jokes used in an ironic fashion. If a group of students is mature enough to find positive humor in these elements, then this book is perfectly appropriate.
I believe that the question around this book really boils down to the discomfort around the conversation of race. If we think about the traditional literary canon, which was created prior to the integration of the public school system, all of the books were chosen, most likely, by white men. The literary canon of a traditional high school English class typically includes very few diverse books. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian includes some stereotypical elements of life on Native American reservations, as well as unique experiences that I would never imagine having never met anyone who has lived in a reservation. To understand this text, the reader must understand that when the narrator makes jokes about Native Americans, it is appropriate as the narrator is a Native American himself, giving him ownership of the topic, and the jokes often function to make fun of the racism that they face from white America. White classrooms are not used to books that challenge these types of topics, yet, they are okay with books like Huckleberry Finn that has directly racist characters and openly uses the N-word? It may be a relic of its time but should not be considered any more influential than books that are written from the perspective of the group that is oppressed.
Recently, another question surrounding The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Does the beliefs or actions of the author in his personal life affect the quality of the work? Sherman Alexie, the author of this book, has been accused and confessed to allegations of sexual harrassment and assault. The women who have come forward to speak about their negative experiences with Alexie have often been writers with whom Alexie reached out to with interested in their poems, books, blogs, etc. Due to Alexie's success with The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, the women were eager to meet with him and to accept him as a mentor; however, there were only greeted with unwanted sexual advances. Alexie has confirmed the women's accusations as true and apologized.
Given the current revelation of the author's true colors, are his novels therefore nullified as successful works? I'm sure many parents are going to be less likely to buy his work now that there is a blemish upon his name, but, should we discontinue the study and pleasure of his former successes? As an author for children, I believe that like any professional who works with or for the benefit of children, should have a clean record, especially with sexually related offenses. I believe that if this book were to be taught in a classroom, there should be some discussion before or after reading it about the author's personal life and whether or not the students believe it changes the writing in any sort of way. With that being said, I think highschool is the most appropriate age group to be able to handle this sort of content.
Meghan, ass always, I find your perspectives interesting and relevant. Your framing of text to self and text to other offer the reader interesting points to consider.
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