Entry 10: Putting It All Together!

It has been a very interesting and eventful semester: full of innovative ideas, great books, interesting comments, and incredible dialogue. Yet, the semester is winding down and this will be the final blog for Education 320: Exploring Children and Adolescent Literature. Over the course of the semester we have read many books that have impacted my outlook on many different topics. I have learned from all of the books in some way, from my changing viewpoint on children’s book authors to my being exposed to a young adult novel that featured a gay female protagonist. Accordingly, I can certainly say that my thought process and opinion on certain categories of literature has certainly changed for the better. However, of all the books we have read this semester, the one that I can say has impacted me the most is The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Alexie Sherman. Sherman’s novel was a very different and interesting novel to me on many different accords. To even read a novel for young adults that blatantly talked about masturbation and used sexual and foul language was quite shocking to me, and it was a first, in terms of its content. However, Sherman’s novel was realistic; this is what drew me to it the most. It sensibly portrayed the story of a Native American boy growing up on a reservation, having to practically choose between his culture and that of White America. Thus, in a sense, Junior, represented Native American culture and heritage as a whole and this portrayal was quite interesting and new to me. In fact, in a lot of ways, his character represented many other suppressed groups of people. I mean how many realistic accounts do we encounter concerning the lives and struggles of Native American people or other races of people? I think that this book helps pave the way and ‘open the door’ for authors who are afraid to step out there and tell stories about marginalized groups in society. I can certainly say that Alexie Sherman did an amazing job writing this book and getting his point across; he opened my eyes to the fact that such novels are not usually written, at least from what I have read and I am a pretty avid reader. Thus, I am convinced that his award winning novel will lead to many more exciting novels that will verbalize the struggles and adventures of the many cultures of our nation.