This blog was previously dedicated to a book report about an adolescent novel. I may continue the trend of thinking about adolescence as I now dedicate this blog to the MEDIA among other things. Who knows?
Disclaimer: These are personal views and feelings at one specific time. I may not always agree with what I say here, but I want to comment on how I am thinking about the media (at that specific time). Someday I hope to start posting about studies and other research that I've read about the media.
A book that explores the life of an adolescent boy. This blog will hopefully bring out some of the main experiences that adolescents face and the themes that we see most adolescents going through.
CHARACTERS
ARNOLD SPIRIT aka JUNIOR This young man is an Indian living on the Spokane Indian Reservation. He is a freshman in high school and decides that Wellpinit (his school on the rez) is not allowing him to progress. He transfers to Reardan (a school in the nearby town) where he is learning to fit in with all-white peers. Junior plays basketball and is very intelligent.
ROWDY Rowdy is Junior's best friend. He stands up for Junior when people pick on him. When Junior leaves the rez, Rowdy is insulted and doesn't talk to Junior for a long time.
JUNIOR'S PARENTS & GRANDMOTHER Junior's father drinks a lot and Junior doesn't like it. Junior's grandmother is a smart woman and Junior respects her greatly. She always has advice for him and is very respectful to Juniors decisions. Everybody on the rez loves her. Junior's parents support his decisions, and help him get to school, watch his basketball games, and don't ever turn against him like the rest of the people on the rez.
PLOT
Junior is a geeky adolescent who is deeply misunderstood. He leaves the Indian Reservation where he grew up to explore the outside world. He is given the opportunity to learn and grow in academia as well as the social world. He learns through different experiences that "fitting in" isn't always what it seems to be.
The diary encompasses his freshman year in high school and he describes many of the experiences he has during adolescence. Throughout the book Junior goes through a "who am I" stage. He also explains a lot about his heritage as an Indian.
Two of the main events in the book are the two basketball games played against his old high school. The rivalry is huge and it is great to see Junior develop his identity though each of these games.