Explain the humor/irony of the title of the chapter, “Rowdy and I Have a Long and Serious Discussion About Basketball.”
The chapter started off trying to be a serious apology but instead, it turned out to be just kind of funny and not serious at all. The irony of the title was that Rowdy and Arnold really didn't have a long or serious conversation and it was barely about basketball. The whole theme of the book deals with seriousness and sadness and oppression (kind of) but in all light and sarcastic tone. When Arnold tries to send the serious email to Rowdy, he responds with a “Series of homophobic insults (197).” It just ends up turning into a joke. Arnold wanted to be serious but Rowdy just starts joking around. I think this shows that Rowdy kind of wants to be friends with Arnold in a subtle way, when he said “That was the first time Rowdy had talked to me since I left the rez (198).” I think this is one of the first steps of having their friendship getting back on track because if Arnold had sent that email to anybody else, they would have responded thoughtfully but Rowdy just took it as a joke. Although Rowdy is not a serious person, he would not go around and calling other people homophobic slurs.
Questions to consider:
Why did Arnold just go along with the email insults instead of actually try to be serious?
How do you think Arnold felt inside when Rowdy did not answer his questions seriously?
I agree with you. I think that Junior wanted to actually have a serious and forgiving conversation, but Rowdy was just making jokes. Their conversation wasn’t long at all, only lasting a few responses, like you said. That was what was ironic about the title. I think that Arnold went along with the emails instead of trying to be serious because he probably didn’t want to have another fight with Rowdy, and wants to make amends. Also, I think that Junior realized that Rowdy was actually talking to him and wanted to continue the funny comments they were sharing. I think Arnold felt a little annoyed at first that Rowdy didn’t answer his questions. But I think that, like I said before, he realized that Rowdy was actually talking to him and being funny to him, and was happy about it. Junior and Rowdy’s friendship may not actually be over.
ReplyDeleteAnother question I have is how do you think Rowdy felt at first when he saw Junior’s email before he responded?
Elizabeth Knox
I agree that Rowdy would not just go around calling other people homophobic slurs and think there is a lot more that meats the eye in that. I think that when the author has Rowdy say the things he says the author intends for the reader to pick up on the fact that Rowdy still considers Junior enough of his friend to semi joke with him. If Rowdy had no longer considered Junior to be his semi friend then he would have probably just not responded but the fact that there is dialogue shows that Rowdy like Junior still believes that there is hope for them. There is still more to be thought over and discovered in those few words of dialogue so I invite others to add onto my add-on.
ReplyDelete-Peter L
Yes, I totally agree with you. Although the theme of the book is heavy and oppressive, the author talks about it in a funny and sarcastic tone, which makes it even sadder. I think Arnold was happy about the fact that Rowdy didn’t answer his question seriously because that’s the way Rowdy talks as a friend. When Arnold’s dog died and he wanted to disappear forever, Rowdy said, “It’s not like anybody’s gonna notice if you go away,” which, to me, does not sound like something pleasant to say when your friend is depressed, however, it’s just Rowdy’s style, it’s his way of comforting people, and his way of proving to befriend someone. Generally, if Rowdy is talking in an insulting or sarcastic way, it means they could become friends again soon.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you guys are saying, and I also think that Junior does object to Rowdy calling him names because he's just grateful that Rowdy's actually talking to him at all. When Rowdy first saw Junior's email he was probably thinking something like "why are you emailing me, you just beat me horribly in basketball without thinking twice shouldn't you be out celebrating with your NEW FRIENDS?" but I think it's also important to notice that Rowdy does respond despite all of the stuff that happened that day and previously.
ReplyDeleteDo you think Rowdy was happy that Junior was doing so well after what he went through in Wellpinit? Do you think Rowdy would've felt happy for him before all of this happened?
I agree with you Peter and Elizabeth that Rowdy and Junior might still have a chance on becoming friends again. I think that when Rowdy did not answer his question seriously at first Junior might be upset and negative, but just like we see in the book he responds in a happy and positive way: "Now that might seem like a series of homophobic sounds... a little bit friendly, and it was the first time that Rowdy had talked to me since I left the rez" (198). Junior is very positive and understanding. He views this situation in a different way. Most people would think that Rowdy was laughing at them but Junior switches the situation and thinks of the bright side which is that they are talking for the first time.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you guys, In that the text stream between Rowdy and Arnold was very good. Rowdy's personality is rough, and kind of funny, so this was a good sign. He is starting to act the way he did before Jr. left the rez. If Rowdy said something like, "can we be friends again" to me it wouldn't be as good a sign as Rowdy calling him names. Rowdy is the kind of person that asks for things in a different way rather than nicely asking, he may yell, hurt someone or call them names for example. This is definitely a good sign moving forward in their "friendship".
ReplyDeleteI think that when Junior saw Rowdy's joking email he felt relieved. If Rowdy had responded with something serious, or just hadn't responded at all, I think Junior would've felt a lot more disappointed and disconnected from Rowdy. With his joking email, Rowdy is bringing back their usual exchanging of insults from when they were best friends, indicating that he doesn't want to be enemies anymore. This also explains why Junior also responds jokingly instead of carrying on the serious tone. He wants to mend his friendship with Rowdy too, and if he had persisted with the seriousness Rowdy would have taken it as Junior trying to push him away, the apology being just a formality. But because Junior carries on the joking tone he shows Rowdy that their old relationship is reparable.
ReplyDelete