Stereotypes Case

Cassandra Burkepile

Multicultural Literature

Ms. Carpenter

4 December 2013

Stereotypes

In the novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, there are many stereotypes expressed throughout the whole book. All of the characters are somehow affected by the stereotypes they have towards each other. This really sets the main idea of the story about how the stereotypes that are made about the characters make them the person that they are in the novel. Some of the characters follow all the stereotypes there peers make about other people and some of the characters do not because they are one of the victims being made fun of with. Either way they are all connected because of the stereotypes made towards each other. Whether there with them or against them.

Although Arnold was the main character who was connected to all the stereotypes that were made about Indians on the reservation, there were two other characters that I felt were a big part of it as well. One of the main ones was Mary, Arnold’s sister. She broke away from the stereotype that everyone thought that she was going to be something big in life. They really thought that she was going to go to college and have a very successful career. But she ended up not being what everyone thought and wanted for her. Arnold said that she was “good at ruining things.” He says that “after high school, my sister just froze. Didn’t go to college, didn’t get a job, she didn’t do anything.” But Arnold thought that she would still be fine on her own because he believed that she was “So beautiful, funny, and strong.” So he thought that she could do anything no matter what. So she had left everything and everyone behind and did her own thing.

Penelope was another character that also broke away from the stereotypes