Challenged for: profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit

Alexie’s semi-autobiographical book centres on Arnold Spirit known as Junior, 14 years of age and living on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Northern America. Arnold’s challenges are many: born with hydro-encephalitis (excessive cerebrospinal fluid in the brain) his physical appearance, small stature and speech impediments are the cause of continued bullying and abuse in his home environment. With aspirations of a future beyond the poverty, alcoholism and aggression of the reservation Junior chooses to attend a Caucasian school in which he is the only “student of colour” apart from the mascot – an “Indian”. The Absolutely True Diary chronicles Junior’s navigation through unknown and at times surprisingly empathic terrain as he endeavours to discover himself as an individual, a member of both familial Indigenous and “white school” communities, and as a social commentator through his art (cartoons).

The novel has been criticised for offensive language, attribution to genitalia, sexual references, bullying, violence and racism . The latter theme is consistent with the recognised framework of Critical Race Theory (CRT) in which “policies and practices…are taken for granted to uncover the overt and covert ways that racist ideologies, structures, and institutions create and maintain racial inequality” (Price, 2024, para 1) . CRT is reflected within the living conditions, oppression, segregation and poor education of the Spokane community, the source of xenophobia and hatred towards Reservation outsiders, and the impetus for Junior to seek a less prejudiced education beyond it. Reciprocal racism from both the Native American and Caucasian factors are expected within the experience of Junior, he is astounded to find his new classmates more tolerant than his home environment.

CRT recognises racism as an issue beyond individual and community discrimination in which race is a “social construct” (Sawchuck, 2021, para 6), a concept invented to create Caucasian-based hierarchies and undermine indigenous and marginalised cultural groups legally, ethically and socially. MFL is completely opposed to the CRT framework as it promotes heterogeneity,  and equality, both notions that disagree with their conservative values and impede their purpose.