#1 Interpret/explain/explore the context and the significance of the quote "We were supposed to kill the Indian to save the child" (35) (Luis)

#1 Interpret/explain/explore the context and the significance of the quote "We were supposed to kill the Indian to save the child" (35) (Luis)

To rephrase what Mr. P meant is he was suppose to stop the children from being a stereotypical Indian, to save them so they could become someone. A stereotypical Indian being a crazy, partying, hopeless drunk.  Mr. P states "We were supposed to kill the Indian to save the child" (Alexie 35).  Even though it seems like a simple task to stop the children from being something they shouldn’t, it’s not. As you can tell from the whole reservation. Even the brightest students give up after school. Needless to say, most of the children in the reservation don’t even try. These children don’t only do badly in school but harm and bully others. Even though Mr. P tries to save his students the only thing that could save them are themselves.

When Mr. P said this do you think he was stereotyping Indians?

Question #2 "What is Mr.P's advice? Why does he give this advice?" (Nolan)

Mr. P's advice is for Arnold to leave the reservation. He gives this advice because he knows that every kid on the reservation that stays always gives up on his life and stops trying. Arnold threw a book at Mr.P's face because Arnold refused to give up; he got a 30-year-old math textbook and wouldn't take it because it was used when his mom was in 9th grade. Mr. P says, "You threw that book in my face because somewhere inside you refuse to give up" (Mr. P 43). Mr. P desperately doesn't want Arnold to give up because he knows that happens to all the kids including Arnold's: mom, dad, sister, and grandparents. Mr. P exclaims, "The only thing you kids are taught is to give up" (Mr. P 42). Leaving the reservation will help Arnold stop having to fight some of the things he has been fighting his whole life, such as drunk people and drug addicts. As Mr. P said, "You've been fighting since you were born" (Mr. P 43). Arnold going to a new school off the reservation will help him escape the thought of giving up in life.

Question #2: What is Mr. P's advice to Junior? Why does he give this advice? (Eliza)

             Junior's teacher, Mr. P, tells him that he should leave the "rez", and stay away from it forever. Mr. P is a white man who has been cruel to many Indian children before, and has realized how awful he's treated them. When he apologized to Junior for treating him and those before him badly, Junior was surprised. He thought that Mr. P was mad at him for throwing a book, but now he was apologizing to him? Mr. P explains to Junior what his life could be like. Most of the Indian children on the rez give up hope, and just become alcoholics or drug addicts like their parents. Mr. P remembers Junior's older sister, who was a smart student and wanted to be a writer, but never had the courage to tell anyone. She gave up hope, and spends her days in the basement. Although his sister gave up, Mr. P sees hope in Junior, believing that he deserves better. He thinks that if Junior leaves the rez,  he will have a better life. As they are talking, Mr. P says, "You have to take your hope and go somewhere where other people have hope" (Alexie 43). Almost everyone has lost hope on the rez, even Junior's best friend Rowdy. Mr. P believes in Junior, and encourages him to leave the rez permanently for his own good.

#5 Quote to Note

Nilu Cooper                                                                                                                                English 7
October 29, 2013                                                                                                                        PTI

#5. Rospond to one of the quotes to note: I draw because words are to unpredictable... words are too limited." People can genuinely comprehend what Junior really means through his drawings. (Nilu)
 
     Junior is not the best at talking; he is better at drawing. In fact, he is an amazing artist! When he draws, Junior likes to express himself, whether that means drawing himself, what he could be, or what he wants to be. But the things that have happened/are happening in Juniors life are complex, to complex for him to say in words. Junior is not so popular on the reservation, as described in "The Black-Eye-of-the-Month Club". He has a stutter, and because of that, and other features, is bullied. This does not leave him with many people to talk to. He uses his drawings to go further than he can with words because "words are too limited..." (Alexie 5). Using words, not many people can truely understand what Junior means. This is the opposite with drawings. "When you draw a picture, everybody can understand it..." (Alexie 5). This may be what Junior means when he says that "words are too unpredictable" (Alexie 5). Junior draws because people can understand what he really means through his artwork.

#4. What is "absolutely the saddest in the world" (31). Explain why Junior says this and the implication. (Max Ambris)

    The fact that Junior and the rest of the school have to use thirty-year-old books is the saddest thing in the world. Junior says this because it is a huge example of the poverty that the entire reservation faces. The entire story so far has been talking about the big problem of poverty. This point was just piling on more. Junior says, "...A geometry book that was at least thirty years older than I was....How horrible is that?"(Alexie 31). It also shows how little the outside world cares about the community because no one funds them properly. Their education isn't important enough for the government to give them proper books. This point is supported when Junior says that the reservation is "one million miles north of Important" (Alexie 30) and "the world has declared nuclear war on you,"(Alexie 31). As I said, this shows the reservation's lack of importance to anyone, but also Junior's unhappiness. Junior say that this incident destroyed his dreams. The age of the books has ultimately crushed Junior's hopes and blew up the poverty problem in his face.

#2 What is the relationship between poverty and dreams? (jojo brunelli)

The relationship between poverty and dreams is that if you are poor you most likely are not able to accomplish your dreams. Arnolds mothers dream is to become a teacher. she reads all the time and is willing to work for it. however she has no money to pay for college let alone get out of the reserve. if she were to become a teacher she would work very hard and take pride in what she does. Arnolds fathers dream is to become a famous sax player. he is not able to persue his dream because he must focus on barely feeding his family and working to maintain a livable life style. "poverty only teaches you to be poor." (forney 13). this quotes shows that when you are poor the only thing you will ever know how to do is be poor, because how can you get a job is you have no education and in order for education you need money. Arnold is trying to say that no matter what anyones dream are or how smart or dedicated they are, being poor will always put a wall right between you and your dream.

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