Censored Book Review: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Censorship has always been a literary issue. Initially censorship was primarily done through literacy. People could not read, and thus did not have access to information that was written. With literacy a basic educational goal throughout the world today, censorship of content has become increasingly prevalent. There have been more restrictive periods of history, and some areas of the world are more restrictive than others, but even in more tolerant areas, it continues to come up. Even books now considered classics are not immune, and the American Library Association provides a list of 97 such classics (ALA). Of these, 4 were assigned reading for me before graduating 8^th grade. Although there were some difficult subjects approached in those books, I feel like I got a lot out of reading them, and that it contributed to my perspective and understanding of the world in a positive way.

This week I read the highly acclaimed, and banned book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. This is a book that I had read before, and chose to reread, now knowing that it has been banned. Despite being a New York Times best seller, and winner of the National Book Award, I can certainly see the reasons why people would call for a ban of this book in schools. I should start by saying that I don’t think that banning books is ever prudent. Instead I think that books such as this one should be appropriately selected based on content and language for the grade level, age, and maturity of the students who will be reading it.

Sherman Alexie’s book hits on many hot buttons that I believe contributed to it being such a contested book. It uses foul language, and includes usage of the word gay in a derogatory manner, as well as the word faggot. A lot of the book comments on the condition of Native Americans living on reservations in the United States and addresses issues of alcoholism, and racism (Alexie). The book is written very honestly from the perspective of a young man who is 14 years old when these events take place, and includes content dealing with sexual arousal and masturbation. I also think people would find it objectionable that Alexie not only handles death in this story, but also the range of emotions and responses that people go through when such events occur. Despite all this, and in some ways, because of it, I feel that this book is valuable for young people to read.

I was not assigned to read anything by Sherman Alexie until I was in college, but I could see using his work in a high school, or even 8^th grade classroom. Junior, the main character is 14, and a freshman in high school, and the text is written so authentically I feel like it is something that young people can really relate to at that time in their lives. Junior is dealing with something beyond the normal identity crisis of the early teen years, and his story introduces many discussion points about growing up, relationships between family, friends, and people in general, racism, alcohol consumption, how to deal with death, and more. There are many valuable things that students can reflect on from this text. I also feel like some of the items that people find objectionable will make the book refreshing to youth. Often, books written from the perspective of a person in that age range came come off as pretentious because they omit the kinds of foul humor, and hormone fueled thoughts typical of young people that age. Alexie unabashedly includes these. Contextualizing these issues, and having an open an honest discussion with young people about difficult issues is important. I think a good way to introduce this to a class would be to compare the life of a modern day Native American on the reservation to an understanding of the history of the beginning of reservations and Indian schools. Juxtaposing the experiences of the fictitious Junior and Alexie’s perspective as a Spokane who grew up on the reservation, with that history could be very enlightening.

Resources

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. Little Brown and Company (2007). Print.

American Library Association {ALA}. Banned and Challenged Classics. American Library Association (2016). Retrieved from: http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/classics.