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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the name of the Indian that hit Junior's grandmother in his car?

2. What is the name of the white girl that Gordy describes disappearing in Mexico last summer in Chapter 16: "Rowdy Gives Me Advice About Love"?

3. How does Mary describe her new house in Chapter 19: "My Sister Sends Me a Letter"?

4. The object that the billionaire white collector presents in Chapter 23: "Wake" is probably of what origin, according to Junior's mother?

5. Who is the school guidance counselor that calls Junior out of class in Chapter 27: "Because Russian Guys Are Not Always Geniuses"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What communication takes place between Junior and Rowdy in Chapter 16: "Rowdy Gives Me Advice About Love"?

2. What is an example of irony employed by the author in Chapter 19: "My Sister Sends Me a Letter"?

3. How does Junior feel after the winning game in Chapter 25: "In Like a Lion"?

4. What example does Junior use in Chapter 22: "Red Versus White" to describe his love for Indians?

5. What causes the students to stand up and walk out of Junior's class in Chapter 24: "Valentine Heart"?

6. What news does Junior receive from the school counselor in Chapter 27: "Because Russian Guys Are Not Always Geniuses"?

7. What exchange takes place between Junior and Rowdy in Chapter 26: "Rowdy and I Have a Serious Discussion about Basketball"?

8. Where is Junior in the memory that he describes with Rowdy in Chapter 30: "Talking About Turtles"? What do they discuss?

9. What story does Arnold Spirit, Sr. tell his son in encouraging him to try out for the basketball team in Chapter 20: "Reindeer Games"?

10. How are the deaths of Eugene and Bobby described in Chapter 24: "Valentine Heart"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss how the author uses symbolism, metaphor, and character to further illustrate the themes of identity and poverty in Chapter 11: “Halloween.” Consider Junior’s and Penelope’s Halloween costumes. What does each costume represent symbolically to the wearer? How is this relative to the theme of identity? How does Junior “identify” with poverty versus how Penelope identifies with this concept?

Essay Topic 2

Define the genre of Bildungsroman, or coming-of-age story, and discuss how this genre applies to The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Consider the character of Junior when we first meet him as a reader in Chapter 1. In what ways does Junior “come of age” in the narrative? How is Junior changed at the end of the story?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the themes of poverty and family in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. How does Junior define “poverty” for the reader? What does “family” mean to Junior in the beginning of the story? How do both of these concepts change meaning for Junior by the end of the novel?

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