Interpret/explore/explain the context and the significance of the quote “I don’t know if hope is white. But I do know that hope for me is like some mythical creature” (51).

Life on the Reservation is hard for all Indians. However, it is even harder for Junior because of his disabilities. White people have it easier because they have a long history of being rich with rich friends. In this world hope is now just another word for Money, this is why Junior thinks hope is white. The reason for hope for him is a mythical creature is because it is one of the rarest things in the world. Not only is he poor, he is living on a Reservation, and has Physical disabilities. This is the reason that Mr. P wanted him to transfer schools. Junior has one thing that can give him hope, he is smart. “You’re going to find more and more hope the farther and farther you walk away from this sad, sad, sad reservation” (43). 

Part of the reason that Junior thinks so simple minded about hope and that only white people have it is because of the environment around him. When he asks his parents who have the most hope then both think of the same answer. 

“Who has the most hope?”

“White people,” my parents said at the same time.”

This is why Junior wants to transfer also because he wants to have hope like all those kids do. He doesn’t want to be the only one trying to find that mythical creature to grant him hope. He wants to get it how everyone else does. And he might be able to do that if he works hard enough, as Mr. P said he is a smart kid with lots of potentials.

Questions:

Why do you think that he has suddenly been thinking about hope? Throughout this book has there been any other signs of the importance of hope? 

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

Junior is hesitant to tell Rowdy that he is transferring to Reardan because he is afraid Rowdy will get mad, and when Rowdy gets mad it takes him days to get un-mad. Junior tells Rowdy that he is changing schools and since they are best friends he should come with. At first, Rowdy thinks that he Arnold in playing a joke on him, but then Arnold tells him it's not a joke and he gets really mad. "Rowdy spun around and shoved me. Don't touch me, you retarded fag! I started crying. That wasn't surprising at all, but Rowdy started crying too, and he hated it."(52). Rowdy got so mad when Arnold was explaining that he had to go or else he would die, that he punched Junior right in the face and Junior fell down. Rowdy acts this way because he thinks he will lose his friendship if he goes to Reardan and that he will a"lose his identity as an Indian". He thinks that he is a white lover(picture on page 53). When Junior tells Rowdy he is leaving, Rowdy turns into a totally different character, and is so mad, he doesn't want to be around Junior at the time. At the end of the chapter, Junior says that his best friend has become his worst enemy.

1) If you had to tell your best friend that you were going to a different school, what would you say?How do you think they would react?

2) Do you think that Arnold and Rowdy will still stay friends?

3) Do you think Rowdy will transfer to Rearden because of Arnold? The education? His parents?

What is Mr. P’s advice to Junior? Why does he give this advice?

Mr . P tells Arnold to leave the reservation because the reservation is a very sad place where everyone has “given up” (P.42). He also tells Arnold “..the only thing you kids are being taught is how to give up” (P.42). This is demonstrating Arnold and almost every kids attitude on the reservation that there ugly and that they aren't good enough.  What Mr.P is telling Arnold is that he can do big things and he believes in him after he saw his sister's abilities. Mr.P knows he's a talented kid and that he won't succeed in a community where everyone is trying to tear him down and tell him he can't make it. Mr.P although he doesn't love Arnold but he knows that he can succeed and do big things and the res won't help him do it, as he said he will get brought down and fade.

He also said “ You cant give up.You wont give up.You threw that book in my face because somewhere inside you refuse to give up.”(P.43). I think what Mr.P is saying here is that if you didn't care you would have seen your mother's name and not done anything. But you didn't you saw your mother's name and chucked it right at my face. That shows you care you think you deserve better. If you weren't like that you would have said were too poor for new books no wonder I have my mothers from 30 years ago we don't deserve better were complete losers. Arnold hasn't lost belief in himself and Mr.P sees that and hopes that Arnold can ride that belief out of the res and to somewhere he can succeed, fulfill his full potential.

Do you think Arnold will ditch the reservation? Why?  What will he tell his parents? How does he explain his departure from the res? Where does he go next? Do you think Arnold will go on to do big things?

What is Mr. P's advice to Junior? Why does he give this advice?

          Mr. P tells Junior that he has to leave the reservation. He tells Junior that he's seen to many Indian kids give up because that's all they're taught to do on the reservation. They think that because they're poor, and Indian, that they'll never be able to do anything else but be poor, and Indian, and become drunks like their parents, and never get to do anything else. They have no hope because nobody teaches them how to hope, nobody on the reservation hopes. They don't think they deserve to leave the reservation. Mr. P says, "All the Indians should get smashed in the face, too... The only thing you kids are being taught is how to give up." (42). Mr. P says this because it's true, he thinks the Indians should get smashed in the face to knock some sense into them, so they realize that they can fight back, and become something other than poor Indians.

          "'But not you,' Mr. P said. 'You can't give up. You won't give up. you threw that book in my face because somewhere inside you refuse to give up.'" (43). Mr. P says this to Junior because he thinks that Junior is different from the other Indian kids, and he won't give up. Mr. P says to Junior that he has been fighting since he was a baby. He's fought brain damage, seizures, bullies, and more. He's always kept his hope, and now he has to take his hope, and go somewhere with it. Somewhere where other people have hope. Somewhere where he has a chance at a better life if he doesn't let go of his hope. Somewhere away from the reservation. He's telling Junior that he has to run away in order to have a better life.

Do you think Junior will run away? Do you think he should? Why or why not?

How do you think Rowdy will react to Junior leaving to go to Reardan? Why?

Do you think Rowdy would've ever thought of transferring schools or running away if it weren't for Mr. P? Why, or why not?

How would you feel if you were in Junior's situation? What would you do? How would you decide?

Is Rowdy a Good Friend for Arnold?

         Friends can betray. Stronger ones, like Rowdy, always defeat the weak, like Arnold. Even if a friend is everything to a person, that person would eventually be led by a light far more beautiful than his or her friend. As soon as the person is attracted by something greater than his friend in his eyes, betrayal happens.  

           Rowdy isn't like that. He is the "stronger one" for sure and would be eventually forced to give up his friend, but he doesn't show any signs of betrayal.  He even tries to change Arnold in a good way. He tells Arnold that he can't hide inside forever (18). 

           Rowdy protects Arnold. He is the toughest kid and is long, lean, and strong (15). He asks if Arnold wants to go to a powwow celebration. When Arnold rejects the offer, since he knows that he would get beaten up, but Rowdy promises Arnold that he would protect Arnold.  

          Another example of Rowdy being a good friend of Arnold's is when the Andruss brothers beat Arnold calling him names. He sneaks into their camp and cut the hairs that were precious to them. 

          Rowdy is cold hearted, mean, and rough. However, to Arnold, Rowdy is his only friend. Arnold does not have to be scared that Rowdy would betray him, because Rowdy tries to help Arnold and get revenges on people who hurt Arnold. From this, we know that Arnold trusts Rowdy. 

          Going back to when Rowdy tells Arnold that Arnold can't hide at home forever, could Rowdy change Arnold? Is Arnold really a good friend for Arnold? Why or why not? Would Rowdy eventually betray Arnold?

Why does Junior say “it sucks to be poor…” (13)? What does “poverty teach you”? Explain.

Why does Junior say “it sucks to be poor…” (13)? What does “poverty teach you”? Explain.

By Kate Constan

      Junior has lived through poverty all his life. His economic status affects his outlook in many ways. He says that "it sucks to be poor," and that's because nothing good comes out of it. He is clear and blatant about this, with no ifs or buts. He makes it known that poverty doesn't teach anybody to survive or thrive under pressure - Junior says it "only teaches you how to be poor," meaning that poverty shows how hard life can be. Poverty is a constant struggle, and it paves the way for other hardships, like alcoholism and depression.
      Onlookers often think that poverty teaches people to be tough and strong, but nobody can justify that it's good to be poor. Being poor doesn't lead to anything but more poverty for Junior. His outlook is that poorness holds a person down and doesn't let them get up. He explains this when he says, "It's an ugly circle and there's nothing you can do about it." It's clear that Junior's poverty affects his life, and not in any positive ways.

Do you think that anything good will come out of Junior's poverty?

Do you disagree with Junior?

Will Junior be able to get out of the "ugly circle"?

What is “absolutely the saddest thing in the world”? Explain why Junior says this and the implication.

Arnold had high hopes for the school year, but when he receives a textbook with his mother's name in it, his excitment comes crashing down. He says it is the "saddest thing in the world" (31) because he was so excited about school, and the realization that they can't even afford new books after thirty years crushes him. This is so devastating for him because his whole life he is taught that he can never be anything more than “just poor” (13). Yet, that day, he had hope. He was hopeful that he could go somewhere besides the direction that he has been given. He was excited for math and basketball, despite what his peers might think. "I know that the other kids are going to give me crap for being so excited about school. But I don't care" (28). 

Seeing those two words reminds him that his life has almost been decided for him. He is brought back to reality, because he is once again told that education does not matter for him, because he is not given a path down that road. After all, if a new text book after thirty years isn't in the budget, then a decent future must certainly be out of the picture as well.

Arnold reacts by throwing his book at Mr. P. What might you do in this situation?

Have you ever felt given up on like Arnold does? How was that situation similar to different than his?

Do you think that Arnold is over reacting? Why or why not?

Why do you think that he calls the situation a “nuclear war” (31)?