Absolutely True Diary Of A Part Time Indian Analysis

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The Power of Tradition

A correlating theme in both novels, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian written by Sherman Alexie, and Sacred Wilderness by Susan Power, is that of traditions and customs. In, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Junior is so entwined with his culture and the negative associations that come along with being Native American, that he wants to change. Candace on the other hand, in Sacred Wilderness, felt the void of a culture she long ago forgot. Though with the help from different clan mothers she is was able to regain her cultural identity. Alexie, describes life on a “poor-ass Spokane Indian Reservation,” that Junior’s family is so poor that sometimes he goes without eating (Alexie,
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The Clan Mother of regret taught Candace what her mother never go the chance of knowing, “the truth to give her something to stand on - that she came from people who loved her and were good to her that our folks were always proud to be Mowhawk” (Powers, 202). It gave she a sense of closure and not only a better understanding of where she came from , but a better understanding of who she is. When Candace got a message from Jigonsaseh it started her mission to share these teachings of the past to the rest of the world. In The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, written by Sherman Alexie, Junior so badly wanted to change, but finding that some things you can’t just leave behind you. That these traditions and customs no matter where you go will be with you. You cannot hide from them or lock them away, for that they will eventually all come spilling out like it it did in, Sacred Wilderness by Susan Power. Traditions and customs are the backbone of every society that “ we all came from tribal people at one time or another, each one of us belongs to a clan, even if we’ve forgotten what it was” (Power,