Teenagers have many opportunities for self-discovery and growth. Adolescence is probably the most difficult period of life because everyone searches for their true self, hopes, dreams and true friends. Teens will meet new people and go to new places in search of what makes them happy and what they are good at. Junior, a boy in Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, has embarked on a journey that depicts many struggles and conflicts with himself as he is challenged by a new school, poverty, and racism. His journey of identifying and navigating through the obstacles presented does not demonstrate that one's true identity is limited to race and ethnicity, but rather everything that defines one's character. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay. For example, take Junior's identity crisis that followed his arrival in Reardan. He describes it: “[He felt] half Indian in one place and half white in the other” (Alexie 118). The reason for his inner turmoil was due to the fact that he could not definitively classify himself as a full-time Indian; he couldn't summarize all his experiences and values ​​if he simply labeled them both. Junior's conflict between being his “Indian” version and his “white” version shows that he feels like he is both, due to his exposure to both cultures and circumstances. His daily life led him to adapt to both sides and to understand both. The title of the book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, also suggests that “part-time” means that his identity was also influenced by his white peers and experiences, but not entirely white. The significance of this shows that one's identity is more than just race. Exposure to a different culture and his role in a different community contribute to his identity, which cannot be explained simply by using “Indian” or “white.” From the first day at Reardan until the end of the book, there are some pretty interesting moments of character development among Junior's peers. They had initially been sarcastic and blatantly racist. Even Junior himself showed prejudice as a means of defense. Much to the audience's surprise, they managed to reach common ground despite cultural differences and apathy. If identity was really just about ethnicity, his peers wouldn't have tried to find out who he really was beyond that. The wall of contempt would not have fallen and they would not have had the opportunity to learn about it. When Junior befriended Gordy and said, “I was an Indian boy…I was alone and sad and isolated and terrified, just like Gordy” (94). The beginning of their friendship is very symbolic; Junior made his first friend in Reardan and found himself in contact with someone who should be so different from him. They looked beyond each other's differences and cared about their similarities in character. Upon Junior's arrival in Reardan, his true identity is called into question even by his two names. The different one used in Reardan and the one used on the reserve demonstrate how his names also represent his identity. When Penelope accused him of lying about his name, he states, “Well, okay. It wasn't completely my name. My full name is...no one calls me that. Everyone calls me Junior. Well, every other Indian calls me Junior” (60). He eventually associated "Arnold" with his Reardan self and "Junior" with his reserved self. The difference in name choice represents his complex identity and new hobbies, goals and dreams. Arnold was a new student and.