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October > 10/15: Trait

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message 1: by Ms. Flagg (last edited Oct 15, 2012 07:56PM) (new)

Ms. Flagg (missflagg) | 11 comments Mod
Reflecting on our conversation today about characterization, choose a trait that describes Arnold. Find EVIDENCE to support your idea and explain how it proves the trait.

In case you're stuck, think about our "chart" example from class and how you could write it as a paragraph.

In Sherman Alexie's realistic fiction novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, the trait that best describes Arnold Spirit is hopeful. Arnold is a fourteen year-old Native American who has grown up on the poverty stricken Spokane reservation in Washington state. Arnold, unlike many people on the "rez," loves learning, even professing himself to be a "book kisser." Unfortunately, due to a lack of money and overall feeling of helplessness, the reservation schools are filled with old textbooks and negligent teachers. After a fit of disgust over receiving his mother's thirty year old text book, Arnold decides he wants to go to Reardan High School, a school that has many educational resources and opportunities that he would never get at the rez. He bravely and firmly tells his parents, "I want to go to Reardan" (45). This statement shows that he is hopeful, because instead of accepting a bleak future in which his spirit and love of learning is "killed," Arnold instead decides that he deserves better and hopes that by going to Reardan, he will achieve the bright future of which he has dreamed. Therefore, a trait that describes Arnold is hopeful.

Did I….
• Write a topic sentence that provided the title, author, and genre of my text?
• Provide context of what is happening in the text, so my reader understands what I’m talking about?
• Find a direct quote from the text that proves my idea?
• Thoroughly explain the significance of my quote/how it proves my idea?
• Check for correct punctuation and spelling?


message 2: by Sydney (new)

Sydney Mok (SydneyMok) | 1 comments In Jodi Picoult's realistic fiction novel My Sister's Keeper, the trait that describes my protagonist Anna is strong. Not in the way that you are physically strong but strong in how you act. Anna is 13 years old and is the younger sister of Kate, who has lekumia. Ever since she was born, she was to keep Kate alive by being her personal donor. Her mom even admitted that the reason why they wanted to give birth to Anna was to help Kate alive as long as possible. Anna never liked it when she always told by her parents to give her sister blood or something Kate needs to survive.One day, Kate needed a kidney because something bad happened to her's so she needed a new one but Anna was tired of giving her body to her sister. She has been standing up to this for a long time and is finally going to admit to her mom and Kate


message 3: by Ivan (new)

Ivan (ivanski711) | 7 comments Arnold has many traits, but the one that i think discrbes him the momst is Diturmination, For example in the book they gave a quote saying: ""I want to go to Redond." "ok" my mom and dad wher going to make it happen) This school is going to provide a better education for him, but it is hard to get into. Arnold nows this yet he will do anything to get a better education. This quote shows him telling his parentes that he wantes a better education.


message 4: by Elva (new)

Elva C. | 13 comments In the realistic fiction book, The Absolute True Diary Of A Part Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie, the trait that best describes Arnold is being worried. Arnold has big feet and hands, lopsided eyes, a big head and really skinny. In the book, it says, "Oh, the dancing and singing are great. Beautiful, in fact, but I'm afraid of all the Indians who aren't dancers and singers. Those rhythmless, talentless, tuneless Indians are most likely going to get drunk and beat the shit out of any available losers." This quote shows that Arnold is worried, because Arnold looks can make people think that he is a loser and would pick on him. Arnold has been picked on a lot at school by other students, so he is worried that if they go to the powow, he will bet bullied again. Since there are going to be drunk Indians, he will get beat up instead. This proves that Arnold is worried that he will get beat up.


message 5: by Jack (last edited Oct 16, 2012 05:06PM) (new)

Jack Brill | 12 comments In the book, The Absolutley True Diary of Part-Time Indian the main character Arnold has many traits but the one trait I think describes him the most is fustrated because, in the book it seems that Anold is fustrated alot and i think that because he said " It's not like they gambled away their family fortunes. My family came from poor people who came from poor people who came from poor people who cam from the very first poor person" and this quote shows that Arnold is fustrated because, he explains his family has been poor since Adam and Eve.


message 6: by Michael (new)

Michael Vu | 9 comments in my book the devils hand the writer trait is very fast pacted. he like to do things in a rush like when he was gather info form the owner of the ganses red he said to himself " i looked over to check my tape redcorder to see if i had time or i would rush one side had ran out"


message 7: by Mark (new)

Mark Markola | 5 comments In the fiction novel, The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen, the protagonist Sage is very brave. Sage is fearless since he is risking his own life to follow a man’s plan that can get him thrown in jail for life or possibly executed. The man’s plan is to impersonate the long lost prince who went missing four years ago. Sage recognizes this plan to be very dangerous and devious; nonetheless he follows through with the plan because perhaps it’s his only chance of survival. In addition, Sage identifies others are involved with this plan however; their fear brought on begging and crying for survival but the nobleman showed no mercy. He threatened them to follow through. Sage showed no sign of fear, in fact he stared down the nobleman. A day into the plan, a youngster has already died and Sage is worried but pulls himself together and faces every challenge the man throws at him with bravery.


message 8: by [deleted user] (new)

In the book The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, the main character is Arnold. I would mostly say that one of Arnold’s traits is brave and hopeful. Arnold was different from other kids in the rez. He was born different with a big head and weird body, but he was also different in another way. He was the only kid in the rez that wanted education and cared about how his future will turn out. He was very disappointed that his rez people didn’t care about education and never thought about having a good future. He got so mad that he threw a book at the teacher Mr. P. Mr. P told Arnold to leave the rez for a better life and don’t let the rez make him give up on his future. After Arnold’s hard decision, he chose to go for a better life. He told his parents about it to transfer schools. He was the first one to do it and the tribe will be mad at him and torture him. Still, he took the decision because it was good for him. He was very hopeful to his future and education. In addition, he was brave to leave for better education even though the tribe will be mad and he might never get a chance to go back in.


message 9: by Steven (new)

Steven Lin | 8 comments In the book The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Arnold is determined to change his race. He has to go to a different school that is out of the rez. He knows that the entire rez is on his back. His parents asked him when he wants to transfer, he tells them that he wants to transfer right away. If he does not he won’t have a chance of surviving. He was to carry on with his future. He knows that if he does not do it right away he won’t able to change his future. He has sacrifice many things to go save himself and his future.


message 10: by Monica (new)

Monica | 14 comments In the realistic fiction book, The Absolutely True diary of a Part Time Indian, the protagonist is Arnold. Arnold, a fourteen year old, that spent his fourteen years on the rez has a very complicated life so far. His main and very important trait would best be angry. He was born with lots of appearance and mental problems. He has seizures, and mismatching eyes, and big hands and feet. Atnold gets bullied a lot at school, people calling him "globe" and "retard." He feels ashamed and angry. He wishes he can leave the rez and go somewhere else. In addition, he had a teacher named Mr.P. Mr.P was just passing out textbooks when Arnold was just skimming through the pages when he saw his mother's name written on the front cover! "I was staring at a geometry book that was at least thirty years older than I was. I couldn't believe it. How horrible is that? (31.) Right after that, he threw the geometry right into Mr.P's face. This shows how mad and frusterated Arnold really was at his education on the rez. In his thoughts, Arnold wants a much better education where there are new geometry books with better teachers whom never forget to come to school. In conclusion, Arnold wants to become a cartoonist to become rich and famous in the future.


message 11: by Trinity (new)

Trinity Burgos | 12 comments In the realistic fiction novel by Sherman Alexie, The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, the main character 14 year old Arnold has been living in the rez for a while and he has experienced many things. Also, having to deal with being bullied for most of his life. I think the most influential role in Arnolds life is being Native American. Most of his life Native Americans are known to not accomplish many things in life and also are known as being poor and uneducated people. Which was one of the reasons why he was getting bullied most of the time other than just his physical apperance. Also, has caused him to believe the stereotypes that were being said about him being a Native American. BUt, one thing he hasent noticed is that somethings he did accoplish like transfering to another school.


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