Wellpinit Analysis

Arnold has apparently disparate ways of seeing his world. It’s either the equivalent to a garbage dump, or a euphoric place. These differences may be due to many factors, the main contributors being mood and perception. He may have been in Wellpinit for so long that the beauty of the area became subdued, and he stopped appreciating it. Consequently, Arnold believes that the grass is greener elsewhere, and has a hard time believing that to someone his lawn may be the greener one.
When Arnold describes his hometown of Wellpinit, he often makes it sound like Hell on Earth. Arnold’s first descriptions of his home were, “the poor-ass Spokane Indian Reservation,” (p. 7), and “located approximately a million miles north of Important, and two billion miles west of Happy.”(p. 30). Arnold has a disability, and gets bullied by almost everyone on the reservation. His family is in poverty, and his father is a drunk. Arnold has a rough life, which can create a haze of fog making everything seem dull, and horrible. When Arnold and Rowdy are up in the tree, Arnold describes the reservation as, “green, golden and perfect,” (p. 226). This description of the
When discussing how he typically felt about his home, Arnold was often frustrated. He was often angry about being in poverty, and being a victim of bullying. When Arnold was in the tree with Rowdy, he was experiencing a moment of bliss with someone whom he loved. Arnold’s mood is often reflected to the audience based on his language and hostility towards Wellpinit. Another reason for Arnold’s differ in perception may be due to taking a step back. For instance, when he was in the tree, he was looking at the whole picture. You can’t appreciate a painting if you are only staring at one brush stroke. Therefore Arnold’s everyday perception may have been a single brush stroke in a