the Absolutely True Diary of a Patr-Time Indian (151-211)

Summary
           Junior tries out for the basketball team at Reardan. Of the forty boys who are trying out, sixteen will be cut, and Junior figures that he doesn't have a chance. He is surprised to discover that, after the first drill, a marathon run, four boys drop out.  He begins to think he might have a chance after all. The second drill is a full-court one-on-one. Junior is paired with Roger, who is one of the best players on the varsity. Junior is at first pathetically over-matched, but he refuses to quit. With pure tenacity and smart strategy, he manages to hold his own against the much bigger Roger, and earns the respect of Roger, the coach, and a place on the varsity.
          Before Junior even gets in the game, he is hit by a flying projectile, and must be removed because he is bleeding. He has Eugene stitch him up, and when he finally gets to play in the third quarter, Rowdy smashes him with an elbow and knocks him unconscious. Junior is taken to the hospital, where he learns that Reardan lost the game, largely due to technical fouls called by the referees, who were willing to do almost anything to pacify the unruly Indian crowd.
          Juniors dad has skipped Christmas with his family to go drinking. Instead of yelling at his father Junior says that it is okay what his father has done. Even though inside he knows that his father has again broken his heart. His father actually saved a damp five dollar bill under the padding of his shoe for Junior. How nice was that?
          Junior has finally seen that there are good things about Native Americans and bad things about white people. He has learned that on a reservation everyone knows everyone. Some white people have not even gone to their children's schools before.

Quote
          "what he always does when they don't have enough money...he takes what little money they do have and ran away to get drunk" (Alexie, 209).

Reaction
          Juniors father is fulfilling the stereotypes given to Native Americans. He is spending all of his money on nothing but liquor. This does not surprise me because I think it has something that has to do with life getting through Juniors father. Maybe after all the stereotypes and the hatred toward him, drinking is the only way he learned to get through to his problems. Problems such as the reservation, being poor, and prejudice. He has learned to accept all his problems because he does not think there is a way to stop it. Instead of trying to stop his problems, Juniors father tries to escape them.