Name/Period The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Study Guide Directions: Answer the following questions COMPLETELY AND INCLUDE PAGE NUMBERS!!! Use your answers in class discussion, for writing assignments, and to review for tests. Part I: The Black-Eye-of-the-Month Club Because Geometry Is Not a Country Somewhere Near France pg 1-31 1. Why did Junior need surgery when he was six months old? 2. How many teeth do most humans have? How many does Junior have? Why is this a problem? 3. Why did the white dentist only give Junior half a dose of Novocain? What reason does Junior give for this? 4. Explain the meaning of the chapter title The Black-Eye-of-the-Month Club. 5. What does Junior mean when he says, I draw because words are too unpredictable (5)? How are you best able to express yourself, by talking, writing, or drawing? Explain. 6. What magic trick does Junior wish he could perform? Why? 7. Where does Junior live? 8. Why doesn t Junior want to hear the truth from his mother? 9. What would Junior s parents have been if given the chance? 10. What is Rowdy s war paint?
11. Why does Rowdy attack the minivan? 12. How does Rowdy retaliate against the Andruss brothers? Why is this important? 13. What kind of comics does Rowdy like? What does this seem to tell us about him? 14. Who is Mary Runs Away? Why is her name important? 15. Who is Mr. P, and what is the weirdest thing about him? 16. Who is Agnes Adams and why is her name important? 17. What does Junior do with his mother s geometry book? Part II: Hope Against Hope How to Fight Monsters pg 32-66 1. How does Junior feel about being suspended from school? 2. What does Mr. P confess to Junior? Why is this important? 3. Who dreams of writing romance novels? What does this tell us about them? 4. What is the nicest thing a teacher has ever told Junior? Who says this to Junior? 5. What advice does Mr. P give Junior? Why?
6. Why does Mr. P believe that Junior threw the geometry book at him? 7. Whom does Junior believe has the most hope? Who confirms his belief? 8. Where is Reardan? What is it? 9. Explain the meaning of the chapter title Go Means Go. 10. Why will Indians be angry with Junior for leaving the reservation? 11. Why does Junior risk making Rowdy angry? 12. What question did Junior answer correctly at the Wellpinit Junior High Academic Bowl? Why is Junior embarrassed about this? 13. What does Rowdy accuse Junior of thinking? Do you agree with Rowdy? Explain. 14. What gives Junior strength on his first day at Reardan High School? 15. What is Junior s full name? Why does this cause trouble for him in Reardan? 16. Why doesn t Junior speak at school for six days? 17. Why does Junior think punching Roger may have been the most important moment of his life? 18. What confuses Junior after his fight with Roger?
Part III: Grandmother Gives Me Some Advice Slouching Toward Thanksgiving pg 67-98 1. What does Grandma say Junior will have after confronting the alpha dog? Do you agree with her? Explain. 2. Who is Eugene? What is his pony? 3. What does Eugene think about Junior attending a white school? Why does he think this? 4. Whom does Junior call the king and queen? Which one does he impress? How/why? 5. Explain the meaning of the chapter title Tears of a Clown. 6. Who is Junior s secret-keeper? 7. What is the difference between Junior s and Penelope s Halloween costumes? Why is this significant? 8. What makes Junior feel almost honorable? What ruins this feeling? 9. Do you think Rowdy is one of the kids wearing a Frankenstein mask? Why or why not? 10. What advice does Junior imagine Rowdy would give him regarding Penelope s love? 11. Why is Junior lonely? 12. What makes Mr. Dodge angry? What does this tell us about Mr. Dodge?
13. Why does Gordy claim that he stuck up for Junior? Does Junior care? Explain. 14. What year was the Spokane Indian Reservation founded? Why does this matter? 15. Why might Junior s parents feel like failures? Do you think Junior s parents have failed their children? Explain. 16. How does Junior feel about Mary following her dreams? 17. What does Junior ask Gordy? Why does he ask this? 18. What does Gordy teach Junior about reading? Part IV: My Sister Sends Me an E-mail Dance, Dance, Dance pg 99-129 1. How does Mary feel about living in Montana? What does Junior think about her feelings? 2. According to Junior, what is funny about Indians celebrating Thanksgiving? 3. How does Junior attempt to fix his friendship with Rowdy? Does it work? Why or why not? 4. What encourages Junior to think that Rowdy may still respect him? 5. What is Penelope s illness? How does this apply to the chapter title Hunger Pains? 6. What increases Junior s popularity at school?
7. What dreams do Penelope and Junior share? Why is this important? 8. How does Junior name the bird in his illustration? What is the bird suited to do? Why is this important? 9. Why does Junior e-mail Rowdy? 10. How is Gordy just as tough as Rowdy? 11. Where does Junior feel like a stranger? Why does he feel this way? 12. How does Junior summarize the Winter Formal? 13. How does Junior hope Earl will save him? How is he saved? 14. Why does Junior place a large order at the restaurant when he knows he cannot pay for the food? What would you have done in this situation? 15. What does Junior learn from Roger and Penelope? Part V: Don t Trust Your Computer Red Versus White pg 130-158 1. How does Junior react to Rowdy s e-mail and digital photo? 2. According to Junior, why do the Reardan kids act like repressed middle-aged business dudes (130-131)? 3. What do some Indians call Junior? Why?
4. Which do you think is more important: being an individual or being a member of the community? Why? 5. What is Mary s most gorgeous place? How does Junior describe it? What does this tell us about the two of them? 6. What advice does Dad give that encourages Junior to try out for the Reardan basketball team? Why was this advice effective? 7. Why is going full court one-on-one with Roger difficult for Junior? How does Junior respond to this? 8. Why does Coach say Junior does not have to play in their first game? What is Junior s response to this? 9. What happens to Junior when Coach sends him into the game? 10. Why was Eugene unable to play basketball in college? 11. What does Rowdy do to Junior during the game? Why is this surprising? 12. What compliment does Coach pay Junior? Why is this important? 13. What does Dad give Junior for Christmas? How does Junior feel about this gift? 14. Explain the meaning of the chapter title Red Versus White. 15. According to Junior, what is the best thing about Reardan? What is the best thing about Wellpinit?
16. What does Grandma believe is the whole point of life? What does this tell us about her? 17. What are Grandma s last words? What is ironic about her death? Part VI: Wake In Like a Lion pg 159-196 1. How many people come to Grandma s wake? Why? 2. How does Junior s situation on the reservation change after his Grandma dies? Why? 3. Why can t Mary attend the funeral? What does she promise to do? 4. What does Billionaire Ted bring to Grandma s wake? What design is on the item? 5. According to Junior, why do Indians think that when it comes to death, laughter and tears are similar? 6. What happens to Eugene? 7. How does Junior s father grieve? How does Junior s mother grieve? What impact does this have on Junior? 8. Why does Junior believe his family is being punished? 9. How do students react when Mrs. Jeremy mocks Junior? What does this tell us about how Junior is treated at Reardan High? 10. What is Junior s grieving ceremony?
11. How does the power of expectations influence Junior s basketball skills? 12. How is Junior like the Indian scouts who led the U. S. Calvary against other Indians (182)? 13. According to Junior, what are the four hugest words in the world when they re put together (189)? Why is this important? 14. At the basketball game, what does Junior do for the first and only time in his life? 15. According to Junior, what is the difference between Reardan players and Wellpinit players problems? 16. Why does Junior cry tears of shame after winning the basketball game? 17. Explain the meaning of the chapter title In Like a Lion. Part VII: Rowdy and I Have a Long and Serious Discussion About Basketball Talking About Turtles pg 197-230 1. Why is Junior happy after discussion basketball with Rowdy? 2. How many funerals has Junior attended? What caused most of the deaths? 3. Explain the meaning of the chapter title Because Russian Guys Are not Always Geniuses. 4. Why does Miss Warren remove Junior from class? 5. Why is Junior terrified while waiting for his father to arrive?
6. What does Junior promise his mother? 7. Why does Rowdy blame Junior for Mary s death? 8. Why can t Junior stay with his family to mourn Mary? What would have made him stay? 9. Why is Junior s mother proud of him? 10. How was Mary courageous? 11. What does Junior realize about his loneliness? 12. When does Junior understand that he is going to be okay? 13. What did Junior and Rowdy do when they were ten years old? 14. Who wants to visit the reservation? What does this tell us about them? 15. What does Rowdy say about Junior leaving the reservation? 16. What is the significance of Junior and Rowdy playing one-on-one without keeping score?