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Dylan Justice Michael Moreno ENGL 247 Winter 2013 3/10/2013 Social Acceptance Through Ritual Sherman Alexies novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a coming of age tale focusing on a young Indian boy growing up on the Spokane Indian reservation. Largely autobiographical, the story draws on Alexies own experiences growing up to inspire the inner conflict Junior struggles with throughout the story. Like his main character Junior, Alexie was born with water on the brain, undergoing surgery at six months of age and suffering side effects throughout adolescence (Alexie). Also like Junior, Alexie was a social outsider, but through his talent on the basketball court, won acceptance and a way out of the reservation (Alexie). The Absolutely True

Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a compelling account of the struggle between ambition

and personal relationships, as well as the struggle for acceptance, both on the reservation and in the white community of Reardan where Junior chooses to attend school. As a framework for our analysis of this novel, we will use Erik H. Eriksons

Ontogeny of Ritualization in Man, which characterizes the stages an individual must

navigate to complete the process of social integration into his community. Junior bears the especially difficult task of establishing himself simultaneously in the community in which he grew up, and his new community of Reardan. Alexie uses Juniors success to illustrate his belief that it is possible for Indian undergo the acculturation necessary to follow their dreams and aspirations, while still staying true to their heritage and maintaining strong ties to their tribal life. The autobiographical nature of this story

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makes Alexies message even more compelling, because it is proven by his life story. By observing Juniors progress according to Eriksons stages, his success and Alexies message become clear. Erik H. Eriksons understanding of identity is thorough, and his developmental stages comprise a cycle, which when complete - constitute full integration into the community (Erikson). His work presents an interesting presence of mind with which to interpret this book because Erikson pioneered a more thorough understanding of how identity is developed (Erikson). He was a German-born American psychoanalysis and educator whose studies have perhaps contributed most to the understanding of the young. (Erikson) His writings on the development of identity include Identity, Youth,

and Crisis and The Concept of Identity in Race Relations: Notes and Queries, as well as Ontogeny of Ritualization in Man, which we will draw from in this analysis. Ontogeny of Ritualization in Man describes six stages of ritual which individuals progress through to
fully integrate into the community. Although some stages are absent for Junior, as his development is interrupted in one instance, and begun abruptly in the other, the remaining stages still allow for interesting insights. These stages provide an organizational framework for direct comparison between integration into the Spokane Indian reservation community and the Reardan community, as well as providing a metric for Juniors progress. The first of these stages is the numinous, which involves building up trust through mutual recognition; an initial socialization into the community (Erikson). Secondly, the individual experiences a judicious stage, when they are taught to discern right from wrong (Erikson). Next the individual graduates to the dramatic

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stage, during which they test the boundaries of what has been set as acceptable during the judicious stage (Erikson). The formal stage follows the dramatic, and centers around the more regimented procedures the individual must now participate in as part of his integration into the community (Erikson). As the formal stage draws on, the individual begins to search for a model to which to devote himself. Erikson refers to this stage as the ideal, meaning that the individual is searching for who he ideally wants to be (Erikson). Discussion of this stage will prove to be most interesting, as Junior is torn between two ideals to which he could devote himself: a life of staying on the Spokane Indian reservation or a life spent in pursuit of his dreams, away from the reservation. Erikson pioneered the concept of the identity crisis and writes extensively on identity confusion in Ontogeny of Ritualization in Man. The final stage can occur when the individual is ready to begin giving back to the community, imparting his learning to the next generation, the nomatic stage (Erikson). Junior does not quite progress to this stage, as he remains a young man at the novels conclusion. However, Alexies conclusion assures us that Junior has undergone great personal growth and reached a satisfying resolution to his struggle. At the novels outset, Junior is happily committed to his community on the Spokane Indian reservation. Although his family struggles financially, they are very loving, and along with his best friend Rowdy, provide Junior with a solid support system on the reservation. As we intercept Juniors story after he has grown out of the

numinous stage, we first pick up when he is learning the hard realities of life in the judicious stage. He sees the depression surrounding him, saying because youre

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Indian you start believing youre destined to be poor. Its an ugly circle and theres

nothing you can do about it. Many tribal members are stagnant, suffering from
alcoholism Junior even presents the depressing image of his parents, had they followed their aspirations rather than abandoning them. These signs would convince a weaker boy that there is no possibility of a better life. Junior however, has a spark inside him, he still has hope. On his first day of high school he sees that they study from the same geometry books that his mother used as a student, and he refuses to accept it. During his dramatic stage he tests the boundaries of what he should expect for himself. In an act of defiance he hurls his textbook at the math teacher Mr. P., striking him in the face. Mr. P. recognizes the spark in Junior, telling him Youve been fighting since you were born. You fought off that brain surgery. You fought off those seizures. You fought off all the drunks and drug addicts. You kept your hope. This marks a turning point for Junior, as he is motivated to pursue his aspirations away from the reservation. Erikson also writes of hope, saying that it is the most basic quality of human life, the inner strength which emerges unbroken from early familiarity and mutuality and which provides for man a sense (or a promise) of a personal and universal continuum. (Erikson) This statement perfectly characterizes Juniors actions, as he has indeed kept his hope unbroken through the early stages when he had every reason not to. As Junior makes the difficult decision to begin a new life in Reardan, he also must accept the consequence that he is arresting his integration into the community of the Indian reservation. Again, he begins this new integration process at the closely

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related judicious and dramatic stages, with no opportunity to build the mutual recognition crucial for the numinous stage. The most interesting instance of this occurs during the weirdest fistfight of [Juniors] life. Junior describes for the reader the rules surrounding dispute resolution on the reservation invariably disputes are settled with a physical fight. He then proceeds to describe an encounter with some boys from Reardan. A bigger guy named Roger, along with some friends, approach Junior and provoke him with a racial slur. Following his learned rules of engagement, Junior punches Roger in the face, knocking him to the ground. Much to Juniors surprise, Roger acts insulted and shocked by the assault, saying I cant believe you punched me. As Roger retreats Junior calls out after him Wait, what are the rules? Having begun the integration process anew, Junior has to adjust his perceptions of the limits of right and wrong. As the story proceeds, Junior settles into a rhythm in both communities. The death of his grandmother prompts tribal members to cut him some slack. At his grandmothers wake they all waved the white flag and let me grieve in peace. He begins to participate in their organized rituals progressing to the formal stage, laughing raucously along with everyone else when a man named Ted makes an embarrassing speech at the wake. Junior also progresses to the formal stage in his new life at Reardan. He impresses the beautiful Penelope, and joins the schools basketball team. Participation in these organized rituals solidifies his relationship to the community of Reardan. Both communities also help him through the ritual of grieving, following the death of his older sister and his fathers best friend. Although Junior has

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comfortably established himself in the formal stage in each community, he is still troubled by the inner conflict inherent to the ideal stage. Junior is caught in the struggle between individual and community. Both the Spokane Indian reservation and the town of Reardan have a lot to offer him. He is conflicted by which deserves his commitment. Eventually, with the help of his best friend Rowdy, he comes to realize that he can establish his own identity, while still identifying with both communities. Rowdy helps him reconcile his aspiration to leave the reservation with his heritage during a redemptive conversation the two have while shooting hoops at the end of the story. Rowdy tells Junior that he has been reading up on the nomadic history of their tribe, saying Youre an old-time nomad, youre going to keep moving all over the world in search of food and water and grazing land. Thats pretty cool. This touching conversation at the conclusion of the novel clearly illustrates Alexies belief about human potential. The events of the story, although trying for Junior, illustrate his progress through each stage of integration into a committed and content member of each community. Alexie conveys a sense of optimism and a belief that individuals can successfully identify with multiple communities; that they can progress in life while maintaining ties to their roots. Alexies life story, and his literature, should serve as inspiration to all who dare to dream big.

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Works Cited

Alexie, Sherman. Alexie_Phoenix. : Angel Course Reader, PDF Alexie, Sherman, and Ellen Forney. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian. New York: Little, Brown, 2007. Print Erikson, Erik H. "Ontogeny of Ritualization in Man." Philosophical Transactions of the

Royal Society of London B 251.772 (1966): 337-49.

"Erikson, Erik Homburger (1902 - 1994)." World of Sociology, Gale. Farmington: Gale, 2001. Credo Reference. 20 Aug. 2004. Web. 5 Mar. 2013. <http://ezproxy.greenriver.edu:2048/login?qurl=http://www.credoreference.com /entry/worldsocs/erikson_erik_homburger_1902_1994>.