Characterization in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian
Name
Rowdy
Description
*Consider the character’s relationship
to Junior/Arnold
 Arnold’s best friend
 Long, lean, strong
 Bully, fighter, protector
 Angry, poor, physically strong,
is abused, lacks attention at
home
 Reads comic books as a
distraction from the real world
(escape)
Class Notes
Significant Quotes
Significant interactions with
Junior/Arnold
 Rowdy punches Arnold
in the face when he
finds out he is leaving
for Rearden
 Arnold asks Rowdy if
they will still know
each other when they
are old men
 Calls Arnold a nomad
 Plays basketball against
Arnold/at the end of the
book they play as
friends and don’t keep
score
 Rowdy defends Arnold
and cuts of braids of
brothers that beat up
Arnold
Character’s Dream(s)
Play professional basketball
Mary Spirit
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Penelope and Roger
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Arnold’s sister
Spent time in her family’s
basement
Graduates HS and gives
up/becomes depressed
Mr. P. mentions she likes to
write romance novels and is
very smart
Moves to Montana, gets
married to a poker player, takes
a risk and is happy (according
to her email)
Dies in a fire in her trailer
From Rearden, white
Penelope/Arnold date
Penelope has an eating disorder
and is depressed
Halloween—they collect money
for poor people (ironic, Arnold
is poor)
Penelope asks Arnold if he’s
poor
Arnold punches Roger in the
face when he first starts
Rearden since Roger told a
racist joke
Roger offers Arnold $40 for
pancakes after the dance
(recognizes that Arnold is
poor), drives Arnold home
Gets married to the poker
player/moves to Montana
(impulsive)—wants to live life
like a romance novel
Wants to write romance novels
Inspired by Arnold, writes the
story of her life
Arnold ends up being a writer
and writing his own life story
“Arnold, are you poor?”
“If you let people into your life
a little bit, they can be pretty
damn amazing” (129).
“And Roger, being of kind
heart and generous pocket, and
a little bit racist, drove me
home that night” (129).
Penelope—wants to travel and
see the pyramids and the Great
Wall of China, wants to be an
architect
Roger—will probably want to
go to college and pursue
basketball
Gordy
Mr. P
Name
Coach
Grandmother Spirit
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Smart
Passionate about books
Corrects the teacher, “sticks up”
for science
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Arnold’s teacher on the rez
Arnold throws a book at him
since he finds his mom’s name
in the book (he is furious that
the books are so old, feels
marginalized)
 Tells Arnold to get out of the
reservation in order to be
successful
 Tells Arnold that he deserves
the world
Description
*Consider the character’s relationship
to Junior/Arnold
 Believes in Arnold, visits him
in the hospital, caring, pushes
Arnold in the game vs.
Wellpinit
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Knows everyone, travels to
powwows, happy that Arnold is
leaving the rez to meet others
Scene when they are talking
about books—reading a book
for the story and each of the
words
Cartoons excite Arnold the
same way books excite Gordy
“You deserve the world” (40).
“You deserve better” (40).
Significant Quotes
Significant interactions with
Junior/Arnold
“I’ve never met anybody as
committed as you” (148).
Asks Arnold if he is sure if he
wants to go back on the team
after his stitches
Scene when she tells Arnold
that Roger will respect him
“She was tolerant” (154).
Will probably become an
academic
Anglophile (likes British
culture)
Wants kids to succeed, wants
forgiveness, wants Arnold to
leave the rez, wants to be
forgiven by the tribe
Character’s Dream(s)
For his team to win, for his
students’ success
To see her children succeed
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Arnold’s Parents
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Millionaire collector brings a
dress he though was hers to her
funeral
Never had a sip of alcohol since
she wants to fully experience
the world
Dad is an alcoholic, disappears
around Christmas
Mother attends church
Supportive of Arnold attending
Rearden
Struggle to make ends meet, get
gas money
Father saved money for Arnold
vs. spending it on alcohol
Father goes away for a week
Dad—jazz musician
around Christmas, gives Arnold Mom—community college
$5
teacher
Dad picks Arnold up at school
when they find out his sister
did
Father shot the dog Oscar
Supportive of Arnold’s dream
to attend Rearden