The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Thoughts and Reflection

After finishing The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, I have yet again expanded my understanding of mental illness. The book caught me off guard with the amount of adversity that the main character (Junior) is faced with through his early stages in life. Junior sees such hardship as changing schools, being alienated by friends, and losing multiple loved ones. Junior also struggled with issues such as: Identity, Acceptance, Loss, and Isolation to name a few. All these adversities Junior faced and he still managed to finish school with decent grades, mend old friendships, and stay alcohol free in an environment filled with alcoholism.

Before I read this novel, I believed most people suffering from alcoholism or drug related addictions to be weak. I believed that they were simply people who did not want to deal with their problems; and subsequently turned to a drugs to ease their pain and suffering. But after I finished the novel I realized that not only are these people suffering from addiction not because they are weak; but because they are more than likely trapped in an endless cycle of negative influences that caused their addiction. Many people struggling with addictions where surrounded by addicts’ their entire life; and therefore perceive their actions as normal. Mental illness also plays a big part in many addicts’ lives; although many addicts never come to the realization that their addiction may have been caused by an un-diagnosed mental illness.

The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian in my opinion does fit well with the other books on mental illness that we've covered so far. I believe it fits well, because it makes the reader look at mental illness in a different light than we are used to. We already know mental illness is very complex and affects people differently. But the novel sheds light on a side of mental illness that is generally misunderstood by many. Even though the hardships that junior faced were heart breaking, I feel as though the story has an inspiring quality about it. The novel has left me with a feeling of hope. Hope for those suffering from mental illness and poor influences around them, to make the best out of their situation, and to come out okay. It also left me with confidence; to know that no matter what life throws at me, I can overcome it.