Junior says that he would always love his tribe because his tribe stops hassling him when they realize that Junior is going through the challenge of his grandmother’s death. Junior is at her funeral when he notices that his tribe is treating him differently: “I guess they realized that I was in enough pain already. Or maybe they realized they’d been cruel jerks...I would always love them for giving me peace on the day of my grandmother’s funeral” (160). Junior betraying his tribe has gotten everybody furious (i.e basketball game) and after what he had done, it almost seems unforgivable. Even after Junior had betrayed his tribe, they were still really understanding when it came to a challenge. This reveals that Junior has come a long way from who he was before because he always interpreted situations in a negative way, like when he calls himself names such as loser, zombie, and nothing. Now, Junior interprets situations in a more positive way just like when he said after the funeral, “And all of us laughed as we walked and drove and rode our way back to our lonely, lonely houses" (167). Junior’s reaction to the way his tribe treated him could’ve been negative, but instead, he says that he loves his tribe. Junior could've been like "oh now in this challenge you give me peace? what about the rest of my life?" Instead, Junior reacts in a positive way in which he thanks his tribe for giving him a rest on this depressing day.
Questions to Consider:
Why was Junior’s grandma an influence on his positivity? What might Junior’s grandma’s death have to do with Junior viewing situations differently? What has made Junior happy again and why has it made him happy? Where is Junior in finding his identity and who is a major influence?
I agree with you Richelle, I think that even though they are still mad at him for leaving, they stop for one day during his grandmother’s funeral because he is sad and grieving. This shows that his tribe, including Rowdy, really cares for him, even though they haven’t been showing it since he left the school. Junior’s grandma was an influence because she always believed in him and always cared for him and stuck by and honored his decisions that he chose. Her death might have to do with it because he now sees that even though he is leaving Wellpinit and where he grew up, he will be more successful where he is now than where he would’ve been there. Rearden and the people he has met has made him happy again because now he has more friends and is fitting into the new school he is at. Junior is finding his identity at Rearden, and I think that a major influence would be the people there that he talks to and that care for him. Both the teachers/coaches and the students all have started to notice and accept Junior, even if he is different than the rest of them, and he has really been able to find himself in the school.
ReplyDeleteAnother question I have is how do you think the people on his reservation will continue to treat him, now that his grandmother’s funeral and wake are over?
Elizabeth Knox
I agree with your statement when you said that his tribe isn't hassling him anymore because his grandmother died, but I also think that there is more to the situation. I think that everyone stops bothering him not only because his grandmother died but also because they are starting to develop just like Arnold and their realizing that there is more to life than holding a grudge on someone that hurt you. They are realizing that the real meaning is to hold the ones that are closest to you as long as you can.
ReplyDeleteE-Book
Besides the fact that Arnold is being treated a bit more fairly by the Rez, one other thing that made Arnold happy was the fact that his friends and the whole class that despised him when he first arrived in Rearden, supported him by contradicting the teacher. In the meantime, he had an epiphany. He used to think there were different people of different races, but then he realizes that there are only two types of people in the world, “the people who are assholes and the people who are not.” The fact that his friend stood up for him was really heartwarming, especially during his emotional doldrums because he thought he didn’t belong to either part, but their action made him feel wanted and belonged.
ReplyDeleteI think that Junior's understanding of life and the way he views things have been affected since his grandmother's death. He became more aware of her patience and acceptance, and has started to apply that to his own life. Junior is know seeing people as either assholes or not assholes, looking past race, as his grandmother would have done. His grandmother's death has saddened him, but it opened his eyes to her approach to the world, and prompted him to honor her with his choices and views.
ReplyDeleteI think another reason why the tribe stop beating him up was because now that he has had the death of his grandmother. The tribe has become aware that they have been treating hThe fact that Rowdy left him alone after beating him up for weeks means that Rowdy still cares what happened to him. I agree that Junior has come a long way from when he was beating himself up but I think his attachment to the reservation is somehow hindering him for moving on in life.
ReplyDeleteI think that the question about Grandmas death and Grandmas positive influence are linked in a very strong way. Grandmas death is an influence on him negatively but what Grandma did in her life even to the last moments were positive. His positive view was helped by Grandma because she helped him see the bright in people and the dark in people instead of just judging them by their skin color. She also showed him that he should always forgive people no matter what they have done with her final breath so that he would not take revenge. All the things that she taught and showed Junior in her life all come together to make Junior see situations in the light that has the littlest distortion.
ReplyDelete