The Future is Always Worth Fighting For By Fayyaz

All people around the world are part of a journey of finding who they really are. Everyone is the protagonist of their own story, but that does not mean their lives take the same path. People choose their own path, but the finish line is the same for all. In “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian”, Junior is faced with many social challenges, in both the Rez and in Rearden. But after meeting Penelope at Rearden, and becoming more comfortable with the people around him, he was also becoming more sure of his role in society. In “The Hunger Games” series, Katniss life takes unexpected turns, from her
simple life in District 12 to The Games. After her second Hunger Games, she realized that she was never meant to be nothing. But to be a literal symbol to the people of a brighter future. In both “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” and “The Hunger Games”, both authors use different symbols to symbolise that in life, we learn that becoming more aware of who we are leads to clarity in what we want for ourselves. Sherman Alexie uses the sport of basketball, a friendly, almost harmless sport. While Suzanne Collins uses The Games, a sad, dark, and terrifying place, filled with nothing but death to explore this theme of identity.

A common theme in both texts is that finding ourselves gives us clarity of what we want from ourselves. In “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian”, Junior’s early struggle in the Rez causes him to feel lost, Junior is unsure of where his life will lead him. Sherman Alexie uses the symbol of basketball to portray this at a deeper level, to ignite deeper meaning. Junior, early in the book, is a scared, sad, and a lonely boy. “Sure I want to go outside. Every kid wants to go outside. But it’s safer to stay at home. So I mostly hang out alone in my bedroom and read books and draw cartoons.”. Junior is scared to even step outside his own home at the Rez to do the other things he loves because he’s afraid of what awaits him. During the beginning of “The Hunger Games”, District 12 is very old, run down and the people who live there are borderline poor. “When I was younger, I scared my mother to death, the things I would blurt out about District 12, about the people who rule our country, Panem, from the far-off city called the capitol. Eventually, I understood this would only lead us to more trouble.”. On page 5, very early in the book, we get the sense that freedom in Panem is not something real. That fact that no one can say things about their own District out loud, without being beaten to death surfaces the truth, that this country is controlled by the rich and powerful. In both scenarios, the characters are in circumstances where their future is very unclear.

Further through “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian”, Junior’s life takes an unexpected turn. After moving to Rearden, a place where an Indian’s life should be hell, Junior’s story, takes the exact opposite path. He meets a girl, Penelope, who shows him that love is for everyone, you can’t control it, neither can you ignore it. For once in his life, Junior begins to feel as if he finally belongs somewhere. While Junior's social life shows promise, so does his play on the court. "Back on the Rez, I was a decent player, I guess. A rebounder and a guy who could run up and down the floor without tripping. But something magical happened to me when I went to Rearden. Overnight I became a good player. I suppose it had to do with confidence.". This proves that his personal life and his life on the court is more connected than he knows. What Junior feels inside is reflected on his play on the court. Thus meaning that Junior must be feeling more confident in what his purpose is and what he wants from himself. Katniss’s life also takes a different path than what she expected, but her story is far crueler in nature. Katniss’s very life was in doubt as soon as she volunteered as tribute in exchange for her sister. But after the death of Rue, a fellow tribute, her intentions became clear to the reader as well as to Katniss herself. “For a moment, I sit there, watching my tears drip down on her face. Rue’s cannon fire. I lean forward and press my lips against her temple. Slowly, as if not to wake her, I lay her head back on the ground and release her hand.”. After Rue’s death on page 285, we get the sense of how important she was to Katniss by the writing style of the author. The sweet poem and the slowly described actions convey a meaning so powerful, so elegant, so beautiful. “To hate the boy from District 1, who also appears so vulnerable in death, seems inadequate. It’s the Capitol I hate, for doing this to all of us.”. The very next page, and Katniss’s true intentions are now clear for both reader, and character. She knows that she will be after the Capitol for this. She knows exactly what she wants from herself, in her future.

Although both texts show that the characters strive for clarification of their future, there are major differences between these two texts in how that theme occurs. In “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” Sherman Alexie shows us that when attempting to find who we actually are, the confrontations are not only against ourselves but with others who are part of our society. Junior’s interactions with students and teachers from Rearden are essential for him, in order to feel confident in who he is. This is especially evident when confronting Roger in the bathroom, after the dance with Penelope. ““But the thing is, my stomach is all messed up because I, er, forgot my wallet. I left my money at home, man.””Man don’t sweat it. You should have said something earlier. I got you covered.”” ~ page 126. Junior felt as if he had to lie about being poor to fit in with the people at Rearden. So Junior made flimsy excuses to cover up the fact that he had no money to spend. In contrast, in “The Hunger Games”, Suzanne Collins shows us that the very confrontations with others can be very extreme in certain circumstances, resulting in horrific outcomes. Death. Her very life is under risk. This shows readers that the level of intensity between these confrontations can stretch very wide on the spectrum. Katniss is also part of a mental battle against herself and her doubts. The mental capacity to deal with having to be forced to become a symbol towards the people is very high. Everything falls on top of that person, and unless they are sure of who they are themselves first, nobody else can be helped.

In both “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” and “The Hunger Games”, Sherman Alexie and Suzanne Collins shows us that when becoming more aware of who we are, what we want from ourselves in the future becomes clearer. After looking closely at two very different but also very similar texts, it is fair for readers to conclude that the journey of finding who we are, is a long and difficult road. Filled with unexpected turns and unexpected moments. But when we do finally reach the finish line, our future becomes that much clearer.