Here's option two. Remember, you need only complete one of the Alexie Assignment blog posts.
We did an author study on Sherman Alexie. It's awesome that we had enough time to look at multiple texts by this one talented writer. Unfortunately, not everyone has the same opportunities we do.
Imagine that you could recommend only one Alexie text to someone who's interested in learning about Sherman Alexie as a writer. Which, of the texts we read in class, would you recommend, and why?
The piece of literature that I would recommend to another person is The True Diary of a Real Life Indian. I would recommend this book because it shows all sides of Alexie as a writer. For example he can be funny with junior as he has this inappropriate sense of humor. He can also be very serious with how he mentions the death of Juniors grandmother and how everyone is mourning her death. In this book he also shows the different troubles of being an Indian more then any other one of his pieces. And on a personal level I enjoyed this book more then any other of Alexie's works.
ReplyDeleteI would recommend the True Diary of a Part Time Indian. It was the piece of writing with the most information in it. Also, it was very easy to follow and understand. I feel like I got the most out of that piece of writing rather than any other. Alexie did a good job with this piece of work and I think it will be the most enjoyable for others, along with its historical content.
ReplyDeleteHi bloggers! Remember to be as specific as possible with your response here...avoid generalizing when possible.
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with both Adam and Zack on this one. Personally, I strongly believe that the Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian was one of the best novels that Alexie shows his best work in. I love how he portrays his life (sort of) through Arnold's life on the reservation, and going to an all-white school. In this novel, Alexie shows all of the pros and cons of being an Indian, especially in Arnold's position. The best part of this book that I like, and shows how Alexie elaborates his work greatly, is after the basketball game (and this is when Arnold is starting on varsity, being a brand new student here) Arnold had done a very good job both offense and defense and everyone, including all of the seniors, cheered for him and loved him. Even another white girl, Penelope, who Arnold loves dearly, even likes him (at least Arnold thinks so). I am telling you about these events that happened in the book because it shows that Alexie knows that even if you are a minority, and you don't really have anything for other people to believe in you for, you can still reach great heights and impress people; even as an Indian.
ReplyDeleteIf I could recommend any piece of Alexie's to someone I would recommend the True Diary of a Part Time Indian. The reason I would recommend this piece is because it has a little bit of everything for the reader. For example, you will be laughing hysterically at Arnold Spirit's cartoons that he draws, but then crying for Arnold as he struggles with life on the reservation. I think the book sums up Alexie's personality really well because it tells a story that isn't-so-funny in a very comical way.
ReplyDeleteLike the rest, I too would recommend Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Learning about Sherman Alexie as a writer is simple with this text because he describes views, emotions, and situations in general in simple speech. For example, in a conversation between Arnold and Gordy, they talk about how every word in a novel should be taken seriously otherwise you don't treat the novel seriously. They then compare it with life and taking days of life seriously. It is in this sense that Sherman Alexie can convey his ideas in an easily understandable way. In addition, someone could learn about Sherman Alexie's interest with Native American life in this novel because of his constant side topics with reservation life. For instance, he manages to describe how tight-knit Native Americans on a reservation are and how hostile they can become with those who leave. He talks about all of this while still staying on track with his novel's story. Sherman Alexie's casual speech is, as well, complemented by present-day comedic relief and concepts such as teenage relationships. All together, these combine to make a page-turner like no other. Also, since this novel is fused with some truth of Alexie's own life, it shows the reader the real Sherman Alexie.
ReplyDeleteAs everyone else I would most likely request The Absolutely True Life of a Part Time Indian but I also think that Indian Education is also a good piece of Alexie's work. While reading this it was a different format that kept my interest. Also it potrays the Native American culture compared to the culture of white people. This piece of writing also talks about very serious issues that are potrayed lightly in his writing. For example Alexie wrote, "[I] kissed the white girl who would later be raped by her foster-parent father." This displays that struggles are going through everyone's lives, including the white people. I appreciate that this peice of writing shows the growth of an individual over the course of his education and how he has changed to become a new person.
ReplyDeleteI would recommend that the person reads "the true diary of a part time indian" because this book really captures your attention and you really want to keep reading it. this was truly a book that i didnt want to put down so this is what i recommend to anyone that wants to read Alexie's work because I thought it was by far his best work. Plus it still shows you a bit of a history perspective of what life is like for the american indian so its good in all the right places.
ReplyDeleteI would recommend the book we read in class "The True Diary of a Part Time Indian" because it is an easy read, and easy to understand. In the book, you get a good detailed look at what life is like on the reservation for some families, and what their history has been like and the problems that they are facing today. Like Zack said, Sherman Alexie is a funny author with a great sense of humor, and he uses it in a way to relate with the reader, and it kept me reading it and not wanna put the book down because it was too boring.
ReplyDeleteFor someone who would like to understand what type of writing they will get from Alexie i would recommend The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. I would recommend this book because everything we have read by him is incorporated into this book. It is also based on Alexie's past so you get a sense of where he came from and why he is writing. Finding out why he writes is important because then you can understand his bias and where his point of view is. So if you are starting to read his work that is the place i would start.
ReplyDeleteLike everyone else, I too would recommend The True Diary of a Part Time Indian. I would recommend this piece of Alexie's other pieces because when we were doing the activity in class where we made connections between all of his pieces of work, most connections tied into the book. The book gives a real understanding of Alexie's writing style and his perspective. Also because it is much longer than all of the other texts, it allows the reader to see more of Alexie's thoughts and how he thinks. The book shows a very personal view, but at the same time a broader view of Indian culture which is also a great reason to read this book.
ReplyDeleteI would also recommend The True Diary of a Part Time Indian. I would recommend this it has little piece of all the texts that we read. I lso enjoyed this piece the most and the majority of our class did also. This piece shows us how the Indians lived and how they went to school and all the torture they had to go through, especially Junior. This novel could relate to a lot of people and it would be awesome if they took the time to read this novel by Sherman Alexie.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely recommend The True Diary of a Part Time Indian. I would recommend this because it was an easy read, and it was very interesting. Before reading this I did not know anything about Indians living on reservations. This book showed the pride that Indians have in their culture, and it also shows how that pride remains through their struggles. I liked reading the about Junior because he was kind of a weird kid who was trying to make something of his life, and he did this by leaving the reservation and going to an all-white high school. I have never met a true Indian, and I'm sure a lot of us at Hudson High have not and that is why I would recommend this book. It was interesting and it had pictures so you didn't want to put it down.
ReplyDeleteFor anyone that like poetry, I would recommend Indian Boy Love Song. It is a very short piece, but in a short amount of words, he gets a very moving point across. Alexie makes it clear that the Indians have heart and they persevere through hardship. Their resilience has allowed to them to coexist with the oppressive whites. We make it hard but the Indians balls their fists and stand up to us.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely recommend the novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian. Just by reading this one text you really get a feel for life on a reservation and the overall life of a Native American. Although the poems and other text are detailed, they really only give a glimpse of the reservation life. Alexie goes into detail on issues such as alcoholism and education. By reading the whole novel you really take a new perspective on Native Americans lives.
ReplyDeleteI would recommend "Indian Boy Love Song" because it encompasses many aspects of the Native American culture. It also relates to American culture.The poem talks about people who die, how they remain within the earth. Most others believe that their souls go to heaven or are reincarnated. "huddled under blankets" this tells the reader that blankets played a great part in the lives of Native Americans.
ReplyDeleteI would recommend his unauthorized biography because when you read it you quickly understand his scene of humor and his prospective on life. it is shorter then true diary but gets the point across almost as well as the novel does
ReplyDeleteIf I was to recommend one text by Sherman Alexie I would recomend the main text we focused on . becasue the text is one of a kind there are many poems out there but only one book on a real Native American who is leaving the Reservation for himself and it is writen by a real Native American who went through the same things. the other texts were also very good and definitly had meaning in them but the book is one of a kind and will always rain supreme over the rest of his work.
ReplyDeleteI would also recomend his Unauthorized Biography. I think that it shows more of who he is and his veiws on the world than "True Diary" because it's about him. It's not about Arnold, where you have to separate fact from fiction to see what he means.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the majority of the class in saying that my recommended piece of Alexie's work would be The True Diary of a Part Time Indian. This is because Alexie rights in so many different ways, while maintaining the same structure. For example, he can be funny (in ways that are appropriate and also inappropriate). At other times he writes in a very intense mood, making the reader feel the same feelings the character has at the time. This book shows how Alexie can toy with the reader's mind, keeping their interest for the whole book.
ReplyDeleteEven though this is my personal favorite of Alexie's work that we read in class, any of them would really be a great recommendation. They are all unique and all are very entertaining to read.