Junior's How To Pretend You Re Not Poor

Junior confidently explains his hardships and experiences through words and images; however, it is through his drawings that he most explicitly states his conflicts and outlook on the world. At the beginning of the novel, Junior explains, “I draw because words are too unpredictable. I draw because words are too limited…But when you draw a picture, everybody can understand it” (5). Alexie incorporates images into Junior’s diary to make it more authentic and, as a result, to make it more relatable to its readers. Many young readers are undoubtedly drawn to the novel because Alexie incorporates countless images that are humorously appeal to all teens (the awkward self-portraits on Pages 5 and 121, the zit on Page 83, and the final report card
It is one of several cartoon strips that depict Junior’s awkward or uncomfortable situations. This particular strip is titled “How to Pretend You’re Not Poor” and it provides a variety of excuses Junior uses when questioned by his white peers. The final excuse called “A good all-purpose excuse” shows Junior blaming his inability to participate on a made up Indian ceremony. This clearly portrays Junior taking advantage of the ignorance of his white classmates; however, it also shows Junior taking advantage of the heritage that he seems to shy away from unless it is convenient for him. While many of the readers of this novel are not Native American, there are many readers who are poor and must constantly come up with creative excuses to give their peers in an attempt to preserve their reputation and image. This also appeals to minority readers who acknowledge that the majority of the population do not understand their culture and/or beliefs. This image contributes to the narrative because it provides a humorous tone to an uncomfortable topic that many readers can understand all too
The image provides a dictionary with Junior’s definition of the word grief, which is defined as, “When you feel so hopeless and stupid that you think nothing will ever be right again, and your macaroni and cheese tastes like sawdust, and you can’t even jerk off because it seems like too much trouble.” Junior writes this definition as he grieves the deaths of his grandma and his father’s friends, Eugene and Bobby. The illustration contributes to the story because it demonstrates how each person has his/her own definition of grief and ways of coping with loss. While the teenagers who read this novel may not experience loss to this extent, many experience loss for the first time in their lives during their teen years and it is refreshing for them to see that lethargy and sadness are a normal part of the recovery process.

I appreciate Alexie’s creative attempt at authentically replicating the journal of a 14-year-old boy by incorporating words and illustrations. While the words tell a very powerful story, the images also contribute to the narrative by providing insight into the mind of a conflicted