When Gordy
says "well, life is a constant struggle between being an individual
and being a member of the community," it perfectly describes Arnold in his
current situation. The quote means that to be a part of your community, you
have to be like everyone else. If you are not like everyone else than the other
people in the community will just ignore you or treat you as an outsider. When
you try to find your identity you might have to break the similarity in the
community. It's a struggle because you can either chose to have friends within
in your society or find your identity somewhere else. You cannot chose both.
Gordy also says "Weird people still get banished." This means that
even in today's society people who are different or have different ideas are
still treated as an outsider. People still do not like differences.
These two statements
directly connect to Arnold's life because his community is the rez and the people on the rez. When he leaves the rez to find hope and a new life where he
knows what he can do in life and who he can become, everyone back on the rez
treats him like an outsider. He is an outcast at his home. He is an outcast
because he tried to find his identity in an all white place. Now he struggles
between his choices.
Should he find his
identity and live as an outcast among his friends, or live at his house where
he is treated as a friend and not have any hope?
I think Arnold should try and become better friends with the people outside of the rez. If he is better friends with the white kids he could possibly get money from them and he could get help perusing his dreams. If Arnold becomes closer to the people on the rez he will become just like them, with out hope or motivation.
ReplyDeletei agree with the point that Arnold should make friends with people out side of the rez. By doing this he is finding hope, and that people are nice to him. However, I do not agree with the point that he should do it because of getting money. He should do it to help his future and his dreams.
ReplyDeleteRoger gives Arnold $40. To Arnold this is the most money he has ever had, and Roger is just giving it away. Why do you think Roger gives the money to Arnold? Is it because he is being nice, or because he wants to look good by being with the cool kid of the night who is Arnold?
I think that Roger gave the money to Arnold out of kindness. Also, Roger is friends with Penelope, so he wants her to be happy. The money that Roger gives to Arnold is yet another symbol of the hope outside the rez. At Reardan, Arnold is finding supportive, caring friends who want him to achieve his goals even after finding out about Arnold's financial situation. Roger and Penelope were not judgmental at all when they discovered that Arnold was poor. If the information about his financial situation gets around, how do you think the other Reardan kids will respond? Will they all be as kind as Arnold's friends or will they judge and isolate him?
ReplyDeletewhat page number is this on
ReplyDelete