Why does Junior cry on pages 216 and 217? (Aaron)

Junior is having a picnic with his parents at his sister's grave to celebrate her life. His parents are expressing love, and joking with Junior when they start telling them they love each other. Junior suddenly bursts in to tears. " It all made me cry for my sister. It made me cry for myself"(Alexie 216). What Junior means by this is he finally accepts his sister's death. He is going through the final stage of grief. He then felt that her death wasn't his fault and discovered that leaving the reservation was a very courageous act that he did to save himself. He left to pursue whatever his dream is, and to stay away from the hopeless drunks that make up his neighborhood. "I cried because so many of my fellow tribal members were slowly killing themselves and I wanted them to live"(Alexie 216). Another reason Junior is crying is because his sister went the exact same way most of his dead friends went. All of his neighbors drink themselves to death, but Junior will stay strong. There is faith that Junior will be the one reservation indian that will find hope and live a full and happy life.

Interpret/explain/explore the context and significance of the last line of the book (230). (Ben)

The last line of the book proves that Junior and Rowdy are friends again. When they were not friends, the only time they met was during the basketball games, and during the basketball games, winning was everything. The final line, “We didn’t keep score.” (Alexie 230), is saying that the game they are playing is not a competition, but instead just a pick-up game between friends. The lines preceding it explain how they played for so long. This represents all the missed time of being friends. Earlier in the book, Junior explained how they used to hang out together for eight hours a day. At the end of the book, they are making up for lost time.

Why did Rowdy tell Junior "you killed ur sister"? is there any truth in that?

Rowdy told Arnold “You killed her” (211 Alexie) after Junior’s sister died. Junior’s sister died because she was drunk and passed out, and her trailer got caught on fire. There are some truth to the situation when Rowdy told Junior that his sister died because of him, because if Junior didn't leave the rez, then his sister would of stayed in the basement instead of running away. On the second day, Junior went to school because if he knew that if he stayed home then all day he would be hearing stories about Mary, and all day he would be thinking “Yeah, but have you ever heard the story about how I killed my sister when I left the rez?” (Alexie 211) Which means that Junior believed Rowdy about he killed his own sister.

Summarize the Cartoon on 182. What is the Significance? What does it show about Junior? What is his dilemma?

The cartoon represent Arnold playing basketball, doing the same things but in the Wellpinit gym and the Reardan gym. In the Wellpinit drawing he is represented as the devil with horns and a cape. There are also insults and a quarter being "thrown at him" such as white lover and other insults. The one at the Reardan gym portrays him as an angel. There are many encouraging and nice things being said to him. The significance here is that Arnold considers himself a part of both of these communities and before he left it may have been the opposite but now he is trying to see if their is a balance where he can still be friends with Rowdy and not be hated by the whole reservation but he also has friends and is happy at Reardan. This also shows how he has now been fully accepted by the Reardan group which is bittersweet because he wants to be there and is pleased to finally finding more joy but he continues to drift further away from the reservation and he also can no longer go to his grandmother for advice. She helped him early on find his place at Reardan but he does't have that anymore. Junior shouter that he is  In the cartoon Junior asks himself "Who am I" in both gyms which demonstrates that Junior hasn't fully committed himself to either side because he knows by fully embracing Reardan or the reservation he will lose something important. He will either lose his past or his future but right now is trying to survive the present.

Summarize the outcome of the game... (Sylvia)

Reardon crushes Wellpinit in their last game against one another. Junior, guarding Rowdy, prevents him from scoring over 4 points, and in the end Junior starts crying because he is ashamed that they won. He know that this basketball game is much bigger in the eyes of the rez kids than the Reardon players, so the joy at winning is much less than the sorrow the other team feels.

Summarize the outcome of the game. Why does Jr cry at the end? What does he realize? (Lena)

When Reardan beats Wellpinit by 40 points, Junior is overjoyed. Although Junior only got 3 of the points, he limited Rowdy to only four. He’s being literally lifted up by his teammates when he realizes that for most of the Native Americans on the opposing team, winning is everything. “I knew that none of them was going to college. Not one of them” he explains on page 195, as well as talking about how some had drunk parents, parents who were drunk or did drugs, or in Rowdy’s case, a dad who would beat him up for simply losing. He starts to feel ashamed at not only winning, but also cheering and booing the Wellpinit team. On page 196, he says to the reader, “I was crying tears of shame. I was crying because I had broken my best friends heart”.

How did Junior make the basketball Team?

  Junior made the basketball team because of various reasons. Firstly, his father talked to him about "You have to dream big to get big" (Alexie 136), which is totally true. We needs dreams to keep us going because dream give us directions so that we would not run off course and do something that is other than achieving our dreams. For Junior, this what has always been preventing him from playing basketball good is because he is not sure of himself and his dreams. Secondly, he got in because of his perseverance. His perseverance is demonstrated when he faced off Roger in a one-on-one full court match. The coach gave him a choice of resting, but he didn't chose it. He chose to go again. This is really a turning point for Junior, for the first time he is good at something he loved other than cartoon, and this would prove to be a great part of him in his life to come. In conclusion, we all in life have to have two things to reach our goal, that is the direction directed by dream, and perseverance to go down that path. 

Examine the illustration on page 166 and the repetition of “laughter” on 166 and 167. What is the role of laughter in this chapter? (Vivien)

When Junior’s grandmother died, Junior and all of the other Indians at her funeral were laughing. Junior says that “when it comes to death, we know that laughter and tears are pretty much the same thing” (Alexie, 166). They are using their laughter to cover up their misery. The illustration on page 166 depicts this very well. One side of the drawing shows what the Indians are showing on the outside. Physically, they are laughing, they look and sound happy. However, on the other side of the drawing, it shows what they are actually feeling inside. The person inside looks very sad and is crying. Our physical appearance does not always match the way we are feeling. In this circumstance, the Indians are using laughter to hide the way they feel inside, in a vain attempt to feel better.

Question 2 Cole

Arnold's first basketball game is against his old team. The fans of the reservation high school act very hostile to Arnold because they believe that he has betrayed his heritage. The fans got so crazy there were even security guards that walked out with the Reardan team to make sure that they weren't hurt by anybody. He is hit by a quarter that someone threw in the stands and he has to get three stitches. When he comes back in the third quarter Arnold is then again hurt by Rowdy and knocked unconscious.  The reservation ended up winning by thirty points because the referees were so scared of what would have happened should Reardan have won. Arnold now has three stitches and received a concussion from the hit he took from Rowdy. After all this the coach of the Reardan team comes to the hospital to talk with Arnold and calls him "the most committed player he has ever seen". Arnold isn't supposed to sleep because he had a concussion so the coach stayed up with him all night and told him stories. This shows a connection and bond that Arnold has with his coach. His coach enjoyed telling stories and Arnold does as well hence why he writes in his diary. This also shows that Arnold has finally been welcomed by the people of Reardan. He has left one community for another and the people of Reardan are much more compassionate and understanding. This is easily discoverable just by the fact that they don't fight like the boys on the rez. All in all Arnold has made a positive change in his life to leave such an insane and depressed reservation and go to a supportive school where he can talk with people and get advice.

How did Junior make the basketball team? In what ways was this related to his conversation with his dad earlier? (Olivia)

When Junior and Randy were competing against each other to make the team, Randy was over-powering Junior. Junior fell on the floor and the coach walked up to him and remembered Junior, from when he played in the eighth grade at the reservation and knew that Junior was a good shooter. The coach asked, “You want to take him on again?”(Alexie 140). Junior replied with a definitive yes. When Junior doesn’t give up, the coach recognizes perseverance, which is an extremely important quality. This episode demonstrates to the coach that Junior wont give up and that he cares about basketball. Earlier in the chapter, when Junior is trying to decide whether he wants to try out for basketball, his father talks to him about when he and Junior’s mother first met. His father wisely announces, “You have to dream big to get big”(Alexie 136). His father’s story is trying to teach Junior that if you never think your good enough to make varsity then you will never succeed because you will never try hard enough. But if you aim for a high goal such as making the varsity team, even if you don’t think you can succeed, it will help give you the determination to accomplish your goal. You have to shoot high to get high, but if you shoot low you will never get high. Junior’s father’s statement helped Junior realize the value of perseverance, the very characteristic that the coach noticed in Junior, which helped Junior make the varsity team. If Junior had declined the opportunity to try again it would have showed the coach that Junior didn’t care.

What does Arnold hide and ultimately reveal in "Dance Dance Dance?" What does he learn? Discuss the final sentence on page 129. (Campbell)

Arnold has been hiding the fact that he is poor every since he got to Reardon. He ends up revealing it to Penelope because he cares for her and would never lie to her face. He knows he will have to tell her at one point because lies stink like rotting food. He learns that no matter what is going on in your life, good friends are there through the good, bad, and the ugly. He sees how he doesn't get disowned by his best friend and by his girlfriend. But he is loved no less or more because of it. He sees that the only thing that changes is that he doesn't have something burning inside him and he doesn't have to walk home every night. Arnold sees that his best friends are still there when they find out. Although Rowdy isn't there, he still loves his new friends and is very grateful for their friendship. The last sentence on page 129 says "If you let people into your life a little bit, they can be pretty damn amazing (Alexie)." This really shows that by revealing himself only a little bit makes his friends understand him more. It makes him feel cared for and knows that these people are his true friends.

Explore the irony of the discussion about Thanksgiving. Sections #5 (Gavin)

The discussion about Thanksgiving is ironic because Arnold gets to experience both sides of the story. He gets to experience both sides because he is Indian, but also he gets to experience the white people side of Thanksgiving since he is around so many white people and he sometimes even describes himself as half white. As an Indian he does not understand why they celebrate Thanksgiving the same as everyone else because he looks at it as a few years later many Pilgrims were killing Indians. "But a few years later, the Pilgrims were shooting Indians." ( Alexie 101). Also, it is ironic that Arnold is celebrating Thanksgiving the same as everyone else because Arnold doesn't think Indians have anything to be thankful for, unlike white people. "Hey dad, i said. What do indians have to be so thankful for." (Alexie 102). Lastly, I don't think Arnold is enjoying the particular Thanksgiving that is going on because Rowdy used to come over and keep him company, but since they are not friends anymore it is affecting how he enjoys the holiday. Thanksgiving is confusing to Arnold because he thinks Indians should celebrate it in a different way than white people.

Examine page the final sentence on 132. Is there truth in this statement? (Devin)

On page 132 Junior says “They call me an apple because they think I’m read on the outside and white on the inside” (Alexie 132). In saying this he means that to the Indians on rez he still looks Indians, but on the inside he acts white. He says that he doesn’t think he belongs in either place. In one place he is half Indian and in the other he is half whit. To Junior he can’t win. He is stuck in between. On page 118 he Junior says, “Traveling between Reardan and Wellpinit, between the little white town and the reservation, I always felt like a stranger” (Alexie 118). He is explaining the fact that he feels like an outsider, but no longer just at Reardan, but on the rez also. I do believe that there is some truth to the statement because it is true that he isn't following the same path as other reservation Indians. However this seems to stay true to the book, but I disagree that Junior can't go to Reardan and be a smart and successful because he is Indian.

What does Arnold hide and ultimately reveal in “Dance Dance Dance?

       Arnold is hiding the fact that he is poor. He believes that if people find out that he is poor, then people will not like him or respect him anymore. He is also scared that Penelope will not like him if he is poor. For the first half of his year at Reardon, Arnold does a good job of hiding the fact that he is poor. His parents are able to give him just enough money so that he would seem like a regular middle class member of the school. "I was doomed" (Alexie 123). When Arnold is invited to go to a pancake diner after the dance, he is terrified. He does not have enough money with him to pay for pancakes or anything else. He orders plenty of food at the restaurant, and tells Roger that he left his wallet at home. Roger is from a wealthy family, and gives Arnold 40 dollars. Roger suspects that Arnold is poor, and when Penelope asks him, he finally admits the truth. Arnold thinks that nobody will like him anymore, but he is wrong. Penelope cries tears of sympathy and gives him a kiss. Roger has sympathy as well and drives Arnold home. This shows that Arnold's new friends care about him.

4. Explain the significance/importance of the friendship with Gordy for Junior. (Ben)

Junior’s friendship with Gordy helps to give him hope. Gordy’s friendship helps him get through his life. It helps Junior “keep keeping”. “[Gordy] certainly helped [Junior] through school. He not only tutored [Junior] and challenged [Junior], but he made [Junior] realize that hard work – that the act of finishing, of completing, of accomplishing a task – is joyous.” (Alexie 98). Their friendship helps to keep Junior from giving up. If he, one of the self-described “weirdest” Indians can make a friend in a white society, what does it mean for other Indians? Junior’s friendship gives him inspiration, that one day he and his children might be successful, and break the cycle of giving up.

The importance about Junior and Gordy’s friendship

The friendship between Junior and Gordy is important to Junior because that's what makes Junior feels like a human. In school, Junior is the only Indian, he is the different one. Sometimes, he feels like that he isn’t a human being. After Junior went to Reardon, he was ignored by kids, and  treated like idiots by the teachers.  “I shrank back into my chair and remembered when I used to be a human being.” (Alexie 86) This quote is mentioned after Junior corrected the teacher’s statement, but instead of complementing Junior; the teacher made fun of Junior for coming from a rez and telling him the “wrong information”. The teacher finally committed to  Junior’s answer when the class genius, Gordy, who is now Junior’s friend said that Junior is right. Later, Gordy helped Junior go through the school year by teaching him how to study and how to read. He also brought Junior to a small library and taught Junior, how even a small place like the library, it is filled with mysteries.

Describe how Penelope treats Junior – provide two specific examples. How does this relationship contribute to Junior’s understanding of himself/his identity? (Aaron)

Penelope treats Junior as a second class citizen. She sends rude remarks to him for no major reason, the only one being that he told her his nick name. She asked him what his name was, and after responding to her with "Junior" (Alexie 59), the teacher began attendance. He called for Arnold, and when he responded, she got mad at him. "She accused me of telling her my real name" (Alexie 60). She seems to have started to dislike Junior for no good reason, which really bummed Junior out. She not only was mad at him that day, but continued showing disrespect towards him throughout the next few weeks. Another example of her rudeness to Junior was when he was trying to talk to her, but instead of showing kindness to a new kid at her school, she asked who he was. When he responded, she said "'Oh, that's right,' she said. 'You're the boy who can't figure out his own name'" (Alexie 73) Penelope showed blatant disregard toward his feelings by insulting him in front of all her friends. When Junior walked in to his first class, Penelope was the first person he saw, and he thought she was pretty and tried to befriend her. Instead she just insulted him and didn't care which made Junior feel bad about himself. After all, she was the first person he talked to and she made him fell isolated and distant from everybody else at this school. Junior didn't even make a single friend for weeks which means that his self esteem went even further than what it was when he came to a white school.

#3 "I don't know if hope is white. But I do know that hope for me is like some knid of mythical creature."

On page 51, Arnold says "I don't know if hope is white. But I do know that hope for me is like some knid of mythical creature." By this, he means he doesn't have hope. He's never seen hope, just like he's never seen a unicorn or dragon flying over Spokane. He wants to go to Reardon because the white people there have hope. They have futures, and he doesn't as long as he stays on the rez, so he sort of becomes a white person.  He thinks of the kids at Reardon and the hope that they have as a mythical creature, and he's going to go find that mythical creature. By going to Reardon, he is finding hope.

“I don’t know if hope is white. But I know that hope for me is like some mythical creature” (Alexie 51) (Lena)

The significance of this quote is that Junior is someone who is constantly trying to hope, but has trouble because of his Native American heritage. He explains to the reader that although it’s easier for most white people to hope and to try, hope is not always “white”. For Native Americans on the rez, it’s so rare for people to actually try for things that are so common for white people, like college, that hope has become a “mythical creature” for him and other Native Americans. Junior’s constantly trying to prove that just because he’s poor and Native American, he can still do something, although he sees himself as too weak to do anything. “Man, I was freaked. I didn’t say another word for six days” he explains on page 61 after a white girl named Penelope comments on his accent. This shows how he feels like he can’t do much about anything, being both ‘too weak’ and not white.

Why is Junior hesitant to tell Rowdy? Why Does he tell him? How does Rowdy react? Why does he react that way?

Junior is afraid that when he tells Rowdy that he is transferring to Reardon Rowdy will get angry. Rowdy has always been the protector of Junior but he might beat up Junior. Junior is also concerned about losing his best friend on the reservation especially if the is concerned about being an outsider at
Reardon. Lastly, he knows that he doesn't have anyone else besides family that could help him through his transition to Reardon.
Junior tells Rowdy because he wants Rowdy to come with him to Reardon. He wants to have his best friend come with him so that the friendship doesn't die and there will be someone with him to get through Reardon. Also he sees what Mr. P said about Rowdy having given up and wants to help save him and get Rowdy off the reservation as well. If Junior hadn't told Rowdy and he found out it would be even worse and Junior wouldn't be able to have a proper closing with Rowdy. Finally, he sees the hope that is help by the Reardon kids and wants it for both of them.
Rowdy reacts the way Junior was afraid of. hen Junior tries to comfort Rowdy he insults him just like the other kids on the reservation. He then begins to cry which is very out of character for Rowdy who has a reputation for being tough. Junior describes it as "pure pain" when he screamed. He continues insulting him until finally he punches him right in the face knocking Junior down.
Rowdy reacted this way because he knew that if he didn't come with Junior he would lose him as a friend. Rowdy also didn't want to go to Reardon. He felt as though this was Junior's way of betraying him. Rowdy also gets very angry and react with violence. This was why he poured all of it out on Junior.

#42 Explain the significance of "Every white person on this rez should get smashed in the face. But let me tell you this. All Indians should get smashed in the face, too"

  Mr. P thinks that the Native Americans on the reservation has given up hope and everything that mattered in their lives. People have no dreams, or goals, or ambitions, or anything that keeps a person going and not being turned into a walking dead. Though there are still some who had dreams, like Juniors mother, father and sister, their hope, or any chance of achieving their goals, is ripped away from them. Like what Junior said "but they never got the chance... (Alexie 11)", their dreams are not being noticed, and finally they give up on themselves and give in to alcohol, poverty, and the chance of ever being "alive" again. In the books  that are about Nazi concentration camps, the survivors tells of a kind of people they call "Zombies", who is being worked and worked until they have no dreams of things getting better, no hope of ever escaping this hell on Earth, and most sadly, no souls. They just sat in a corner and moaned for all day long. The Native Americas on the reservation may not be like the "Zombies", but they are close, really close. In conclusion, the Native Americans are being taught and influenced into knowing only to give up and not to be resilient. However one Spokane might prove me wrong, and that is Arnold Spirit Jr., who will eventually escape the reservation prison and find his hopes and dreams, which may be closer to him than he thinks.

What is Mr. P's advice to Junior? (Olivia)

Mr. P comes to Junior’s house having finally realized that he needs to somehow try to intervene in the plight of the Indians. Being hit by the book caused him to reflect on the horrible ways he has treated Indians in the past.  He tries to influence Junior by saying, “You’re the smartest kid in the school. And I don’t want you to fail. I don’t want you to fade away.”(Alexie40) Mr. P recognizes Junior’s intelligence.  He wants to help out Junior and see him thrive, but he also gives this advise to make himself feel better about the way he has treated Indians in the past. Mr. P says, “You have to leave this reservation”(Alexie42).  Mr. P notices that all these children, including Junior’s sister have great potential, but they lose motivation because of the hopelessness of their society. They both “give up”(Alexie43) and “fade away”. When Mr. P says he wants Junior to leave the reservation, he says this with urgency. He pleads with Junior because the other school will help Junior pursue a better life that could potentially help the Indian community.