The The Absolutely Absolutely True Diary True Diary of a Part-of a Part-

Time IndianTime Indian

Lindsay Peifer and Roxanne Maxam

ShermanSherman Joseph Joseph Alexie, Jr.Alexie, Jr.

October 7, 1966-October 7, 1966-

Biographical InfoBiographical Info Spokane/Coeur d'AleneSpokane/Coeur d'Alene Born on Spokane Indian Born on Spokane Indian

Reservation in Wellpinit, WAReservation in Wellpinit, WA Born with hydrocephalusBorn with hydrocephalus Suffered from seizures as a childSuffered from seizures as a child Read Read Grapes of WrathGrapes of Wrath by age 5 by age 5

EducationEducation

Decided to transfer to Reardon Decided to transfer to Reardon when he saw his mother’s when he saw his mother’s maiden name in his book at the maiden name in his book at the reservation schoolreservation school

Attended Gonzaga University on Attended Gonzaga University on a scholarshipa scholarship

Transferred to Washington State Transferred to Washington State UniversityUniversity

LovesLoves

Wife, Diane Tomhave, who is of Wife, Diane Tomhave, who is of Hidatsa, Ho-Chunk and Hidatsa, Ho-Chunk and Potawatomi heritagePotawatomi heritage

Two sons: Joseph and DavidTwo sons: Joseph and David Basketball: playing and watchingBasketball: playing and watching

Official Sherman Alexie WebsiteOfficial Sherman Alexie Websitehttp://www.fallsapart.com/index.htmlhttp://www.fallsapart.com/index.html

Video of Alexie reading an excerpt from book:Video of Alexie reading an excerpt from book: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwiQb8OQ6dYhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwiQb8OQ6dY

Prolific AuthorProlific Author

Novels, Poetry, Essays, ScreenplaysNovels, Poetry, Essays, Screenplays

Alexie is currently working on his second Alexie is currently working on his second young adult novel, young adult novel,

Radioactive Love SongRadioactive Love Song

IllustratorIllustrator Ellen ForneyEllen Forney Official Website:Official Website:

http://ellenforney.com/index.htmlhttp://ellenforney.com/index.html

American Indian American Indian LiteratureLiterature

Notes from a Carol Miller Notes from a Carol Miller lecturelecture

American Indian Literary American Indian Literary Tradition: Importance of Tradition: Importance of

LiteratureLiterature For native people:For native people:

Tool to ensure survivalTool to ensure survival The power of self-representation: The power of self-representation:

telling our own stories, speaking for telling our own stories, speaking for ourselvesourselves

Combat the “new native” stereotypeCombat the “new native” stereotype Oral, and not print narratives, Oral, and not print narratives,

grounded in functionality, usefulness, grounded in functionality, usefulness, and ACTIVISMand ACTIVISM

Problematic IdentityProblematic Identity

Reiterates issues of “victim-hood” Reiterates issues of “victim-hood” and “doomed Indianness”and “doomed Indianness”

Look to cultural continuance and Look to cultural continuance and activism insteadactivism instead Example: In Ceremony: Tayo’s rejection Example: In Ceremony: Tayo’s rejection

of internalized guilt and reintegrated of internalized guilt and reintegrated into communityinto community

Converging ThemesConverging Themes

Rejecting the ideology of the vanishing Rejecting the ideology of the vanishing Indian and internalized guiltIndian and internalized guilt Examples: Fleur in Tracks, Solar Storms, Examples: Fleur in Tracks, Solar Storms,

Ceremony, Lone Ranger and Tonto Ceremony, Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven.Fistfight in Heaven.

Emphasis upon individual in relation to Emphasis upon individual in relation to community, rather than the personalcommunity, rather than the personal Example: Deloria’s “scheme of life that Example: Deloria’s “scheme of life that

worked”worked”

More Converging ThemesMore Converging Themes

Rejecting dysfunctional contemporary American Rejecting dysfunctional contemporary American Indian lives, emphasizing the importance of Indian lives, emphasizing the importance of cultural continuance, and asserting Native cultural continuance, and asserting Native sovereignty sovereignty

Focus on the exceptional individual as hero, Focus on the exceptional individual as hero, self-reliance, Huck Finn—versus the community self-reliance, Huck Finn—versus the community as central to the telling in American Indian as central to the telling in American Indian literature, the disintegration and the restoration literature, the disintegration and the restoration of community, de-center the notion of individualof community, de-center the notion of individual

Why do American Indians Why do American Indians need to tell the story?need to tell the story?

We are all under the sacred hoop, but so We are all under the sacred hoop, but so much silencing and damage has been done much silencing and damage has been done so it is very important for the inside voice to so it is very important for the inside voice to be heard, principal truths about recovery, be heard, principal truths about recovery, authenticity, hard work, one needs to be authenticity, hard work, one needs to be culturally informed, indigenous aesthetics culturally informed, indigenous aesthetics discovered by listening to what American discovered by listening to what American Indians say about indigenous aesthetics, we Indians say about indigenous aesthetics, we are only explorers in this cultural terrain—go are only explorers in this cultural terrain—go against the terrible history of actions placed against the terrible history of actions placed upon American Indiansupon American Indians

Why do Native writers confirm Why do Native writers confirm the bad things people say the bad things people say about American Indians?about American Indians?

Native writers would be remiss by turning a blind Native writers would be remiss by turning a blind eye to the 500 years of colonial power, naïve to eye to the 500 years of colonial power, naïve to ignore the problems that have occurred in the ignore the problems that have occurred in the community, careful reading explains or mediates community, careful reading explains or mediates those scenes; they are writing about those things those scenes; they are writing about those things to explain and understand the motivation of a to explain and understand the motivation of a Native person, by end of story there is a turn away Native person, by end of story there is a turn away from dark realities to a more hopeful outcome, from dark realities to a more hopeful outcome, community is putting itself back together, Native community is putting itself back together, Native people get to talk about these things because they people get to talk about these things because they would be irresponsible not to.would be irresponsible not to.

ResourcesResources

Teaching Alexie Teacher Discussion Group: Teaching Alexie Teacher Discussion Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/teaching_ahttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/teaching_alexie/lexie/

Discussion of the book being banned: Discussion of the book being banned: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/teaching_ahttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/teaching_alexie/message/29lexie/message/29 Book was banned in Crook County, Oregon Book was banned in Crook County, Oregon

because it was deemed as inappropriate for because it was deemed as inappropriate for 14-year olds to read.14-year olds to read.

ReviewsReviews Powell’s Book Review: Powell’s Book Review:

http://www.powells.com/biblio/9780316013680http://www.powells.com/biblio/9780316013680

School Library Journal review: School Library Journal review: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/1790000379/post/85001http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/1790000379/post/850019885.html9885.html

NPR review: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?NPR review: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14871881storyId=14871881

NYTimes Book Review: NYTimes Book Review: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/books/review/Barcott3-t.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/books/review/Barcott3-t.html

Suggested ReadingSuggested Reading Night Flying Woman: An Ojibway NarrativeNight Flying Woman: An Ojibway Narrative by by

Ignatia BrokerIgnatia Broker CeremonyCeremony by Leslie Marmon Silko by Leslie Marmon Silko Love MedicineLove Medicine by Louise Erdrich by Louise Erdrich Green Grass, Running WaterGreen Grass, Running Water by Thomas King by Thomas King Morning GirlMorning Girl by Michael Dorris by Michael Dorris Miko Kings: An Indian Baseball StoryMiko Kings: An Indian Baseball Story by by

LeAnne HoweLeAnne Howe Red Earth: A Vietnam warrior’s journeyRed Earth: A Vietnam warrior’s journey by by

Philip H. Red EaglePhilip H. Red Eagle

Helpful ResourcesHelpful Resources

American Indian QuarterlyAmerican Indian Quarterly Studies in American Literature (SAIL)Studies in American Literature (SAIL) Wicazo sa (Red Pencil Journal)Wicazo sa (Red Pencil Journal)

DiscussionDiscussion