Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian

Diary of a Part Time Indian

            Sherman Alexie has never had any problem breaching controversial topics, which may be one of the reasons Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian is such a well loved and approachable book. Alexie seems to be able to lend a certain air of excitement to controversy, which is maybe something that students will really grab on to if this book is ever taught in a classroom.

            I am a pretty big fan of Sherman Alexie, and really respect his work. Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian is no exception. I would love to teach this work in a class, however, it has many very controversial aspects that could make it pretty hard to teach in a typical high school classroom.

            Perhaps one of the biggest controversies in the United States today is how to address homosexuality from a legal and social perspective. As a controversial issue that many people stand in direct opposition to recognizing, it can be a very controversial issue to address in the classroom. Furthermore, schools already struggle with a lot of bullying issues because of sexual preference and so it could lead into a very negative discussion if brought up in class. Teachers will also have to be aware of the dangers of students calling out inappropriate names or referencing other students at the school in this discussion.

            Another issue that would likely have to be addressed would be the alcohol abuse that is portrayed in the novel. Many parents will take issue with novels that deal with alcohol or substance abuse in society today and will feel very uncomfortable with the notion of their children reading about it.