“The Breaking-Down of a Self-Defeating Behavior”

The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie, is a biography in the life of Arnold Spirit, growing up in a small poor farm town in a Spokane Indian Reservation. Bullied for being different, he would break-down what researcher Ken Singer calls “the cycle of self-defeat.”  When you’re hard on yourself at things that you can’t change, they are who you are.  Arnold points out; “…when you draw a picture, everybody can understand it.”(5) If Arnold had written in a journal instead of drawing, he is sure”... that only a certain percentage of humans... get your meaning; words are limited.”(5) Arnold kept in his journal, details over the years of painful memories converted into humorous cartoons. On he draws of himself, with his large head, to prove to everyone he has a since of humor in-tact that laughs at himself, not ashamed from being born with “water on the brain.” The since of humor behind the cartoons is his only real escape”, Arnold points out that   ”… the world is a series of broken dams and floods, and my cartoons are my only lifeboats.”(6) Arnold learned that when he was truly bothered, life threw him a curve, he always knew that he could rely his drawings for insight, they’re key  helping him keep level-headed, throughout the story.

Leaving the reservation school for a better education was confirmed the day Arnold received a geometry book so out of date, his mom’s named was written in it. So incredibly enraged, without thinking of the consequences for first time, he grabbed the out-dated, obsolete material, blindly tossing it, accidently hit Mr.’s squarely in the face smashing his nose.  Losing control is a form of self-defeat; in this case the case is physical pain and regret. Not breaking-down, not to losing control, and not defeating your-self behavior allows you grow.

Not able to cont Most on the reservation would not, because they had given-up like the ones before them, they’re defeated in their own behavior.  Now it was final, without back, he left that school. Despite being ridiculed, for abandoning his people to a “rich-boy” school, being the kind of role model the place needs, not letting anyone get him down, destroy his dream.  Sometimes with no ride, he'd have to walk twenty miles to or from school.

 Shockingly his teacher understood Arnold’s hysteria, “I’m sorry they suspended you,” said Mr.P and “..hope you know that wasn’t my idea.”(33)  Mr.P has made an impact in Arnold’s life, reasoning with him, giving him validation; he needs to move on, supporting him in his difficult transition.

 On the reservation most people didn’t succeed, trapped in alcohol, no hope, and stubborn to change. “You’ve been fighting since the day you were born” Mr.P pointed out to Arnold. “You fought off drunks and drug-addicts. You kept your hope….you’re going to find more hope the farther you get away from here.(43)

 Didn’t matter Arnold was half the size, he reached his breaking point, there seemed to be no end in of the racial slurs from “Roger”. Not wanting history to repeat itself, on the reservation, Arnold punched Roger in the face, expecting Roger to immediately counter, he tells Arnold to settle this issue first thing tomorrow morning. It’s a “Cycle of Defeat,” saying nothing, when something must be done, taking that path of least resistance, the one of fear from unjust verbal or physical harm. Feeling small from becoming powerless, defeated is no place to for life.

 Arnold sees Roger approach him, the next day at school, where they were scheduled to settle the dispute from the previous , expecting the worst kind of beating, Arnold gets his hand shook instead as a sign of respect standing-up the way he did.

 Arnolds grandmother dies makes the village comes together,” so they wave their white flag that day and let me grieve in peace.”(159). Next his recluse sister dies next in a burning trailer, while passed-out drunk. This where in the story I think Arnold is going to lose it, give up and commit suicide it end up all bad or something, but he doesn’t. So filled from the loss he has forgot how his mother, in her greater grief than his own in, losing her mother, and daughter just a month apart.

At the very start of this book the author addresses first how Arnold handles being born with defects that get him made fun of and beat up, With a diary of his whole life experience inside, not of words, instead something much better, cartoons of which he has made fun of his numerous situations, in “comic-like” illustrations of which has practiced and grown to draw quite well. The picture is designed to make the viewer laugh; in turn it improves his sense of humor, helping cope with the life he was given. If he decides to give up on his diary, it will be the end of him. Without Arnold’s drawing pictures, he’ll fall prey in his own self-defeat.  His “comic-diary” works , these drawings help Arnold time and time again, he’s easy to pity in his shoes, until he draws a simple picture of humor, in laughing at himself, he’s freed from any self-defeating behavior.

Works Cited

“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,” by Sherman Alexie critique in packet.

“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,” By Sherman Alexie. [Turnwater,

            Wash.]: Washington State Library, 2008. Print

“Breaking the Cycle of Self-defeating Behaviors,” by Ken Singer, LCSW

            http://www.malesurviver.org/ArchivedPages/singer2.html         2/7/2011