Interpret/explain/explore the context and significance of the last line of the book (230).
At the end of the book, Arnold says, “We didn’t keep score” (230). He had just finished his extremely long game of one on one basketball with his old friend Rowdy. Rowdy says, “You’ve never beaten me one-on-one” (229). After the game the boys realized that they had not kept score. This becomes an unspoken rule because they both realize that previously keeping score has not turned out well. They realize that the game can be more enjoyable if they dont keep score. The book ends here because all is restored except for one thing. On the top of page 230 Arnold asks Rowdy if he wants to go to Readren with him. This question is never answered. The significance of this quote is that Rowdy and Arnold have restored their friendship. Arnold says that he will beat Rowdy but they end up not keeping score. This seems to be an unspoken rule that they will both follow from now and on.
- If there were to be a PTI two what do you think Rowdy would do? Go to Readren or stay at the rez?
- Why do you think that laughing works as a coping mechanism for Arnold? If you think that this doesn’t work, why?
I think laughing works as a coping mechanism for Junior because he's expressing the same emotions as he is when he's crying. He's showing that he cares about someone or something. I think the reason he is now laughing instead of crying is because Sherman Alexie wants to show that Junior has changed. Junior has changed the way he thinks about things, and the way people think about him. He's no longer this loser Indian kid with brain damage. Now he's this brave Indian kid who started going to a whit school, and continued going through all his hardships. He hasn't backed down, even though he's been mocked, experienced the deaths of many that were very close to him, and he's been physically hurt. Junior has also changed the way he looks, and thinks about things. I think he has started laughing instead of crying because he no longer sees all the bad things in his life. Instead he's started seeing the opportunities he has, and realizing that he can be grateful, even though he's poor and experiencing all these deaths. He's being very brave, and that's why he laughs instead of cries. He shows that he's done being beat up, and made fun of, but he still cares.
ReplyDelete