81 pages 2 hours read

Sherman Alexie

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2007

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Chapters 7-9

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 7 Summary: “Rowdy Sings the Blues”

The day after Junior decides to switch schools, he finds Rowdy on the playground of the Wellpinit Junior High school and tells him he’s transferring to Reardan. Rowdy tells him it’s not fun and that Junior’s making him mad. Junior tries to convince Rowdy to leave the reservation with him and transfer to Reardan, and Rowdy spits on the ground.

While in conversation with Rowdy, Junior remembers that Reardan beat the Wellpinit flag football, basketball, and baseball teams, and Rowdy was the star of all three teams. Junior competed against Reardan’s team in Academic Bowl, and because of him, his team answered one question correctly; he knew that Charles Dickens wrote A Tale of Two Cities. Junior remembers the Reardan kids as “magnificent” and “filled with hope” (50).

Rowdy realizes Junior is serious and turns away from him. Junior touches his shoulder, and Rowdy calls him a homophobic slur. They both cry, and Rowdy screams a scream of “pain, pure pain” (52). Junior touches Rowdy again, and Rowdy punches Junior in the face, knocking him to the ground. Junior realizes Rowdy is now his worst enemy.

Related Titles

By Sherman Alexie

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE

logo

Flight

Sherman Alexie

Flight: A Novel

Sherman Alexie

Study Guide

logo

Indian Killer

Sherman Alexie

Indian Killer

Sherman Alexie

Study Guide

logo

On the Amtrak from Boston to New York City

Sherman Alexie

On the Amtrak from Boston to New York City

Sherman Alexie

Study Guide

logo

Reservation Blues

Sherman Alexie

Reservation Blues

Sherman Alexie

Study Guide

logo

Reservation Love Song

Sherman Alexie

Reservation Love Song

Sherman Alexie

Plot Summary

logo

Ten Little Indians

Sherman Alexie

Ten Little Indians

Sherman Alexie

Study Guide

logo

The Facebook Sonnet

Sherman Alexie

The Facebook Sonnet

Sherman Alexie

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE

logo

The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven

Sherman Alexie

The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven

Sherman Alexie

Plot Summary

logo

The Toughest Indian in the World

Sherman Alexie

The Toughest Indian in the World

Sherman Alexie

Study Guide

logo

This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona

Sherman Alexie

This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona

Sherman Alexie

Plot Summary

logo

War Dances

Sherman Alexie

War Dances

Sherman Alexie