The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a coming of age novel that follows the growth of Arnold Spirit Jr. and his dilemma with defining his true identity despite the countless individual and societal limitations; the numerous internal and external conflicts of his life ultimately shape his identity and make him a more confident young man.
PROMPT: Write an essay through a close reading and analysis of Arnold Spirit addressing the following questions:
1. What is the cause(s) of Arnold's identity crisis? (external and internal conflicts)
2. How is the identity crisis resolved? (What did Arnold do to overcome these conflicts?)
3. What important life lesson does Arnold learn by overcoming his conflicts?
Essay Requirements:
o Evidence in the form of direct quotes, summary, and paraphrase from the text, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.
o Analysis of at least one or two of Arnold's cartoons from the text that supports your analysis of the text.
o Note: Avoid summary of the book - you may assume that your audience has read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian;
however, do provide some type of brief context when providing evidence from the text.
Proposal & Outline:
Directions: Answer all of the following questions as completely as possible - Please type out your responses, and please make sure to indicate what questions you are answering. Please provide an outline of your main points, including textual references and cartoons.
1. How will you address points 1-3 of the prompt? Write specifically the conflicts, resolutions, and the life lesson you will be addressing in your essay.
2. What specific sections/incidents/ideas from out text, The Absolutely True Dia'', of a Part-Time Indian, will you focus your analysis on in order to provide evidence and support for your essay idea?
3. What specific cartoons from the text will you use to support your essay? What evidence do you find in the cartoons? How do these cartoons support your ideas in the three prompt questions?
4. What is your 'working thesis'?