In the novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Sherman Alexie illustrates the life and struggles of Junior,  a young Native American boy, who grew up on an indian reservation in Spokane, Washington. Even when life seems to be throwing everything his way, Junior is still filled with  hope and determination to get the most out of the life he was given.

The main character, Junior, a very colorful person all around, is an expressive and genuine person. With a huge heart and empathy towards everyone - “No matter what else happened between my tribe and me I would always love them for giving me peace on the day of my grandmother's funeral”, even those who have hurt or wronged him, he still feels the need to be a genuine soul to all - “I think the world is a series of broken dams and floods, and my cartoons are tiny little lifeboats.”

Even with all the challenges Junior is faced with in his daily life from battling with alcoholism and drunks on the rez, to worrying about if he’ll have dinner tonight or a ride to school tomorrow, to not knowing if someone will beat him up or not, he still manages to persevere and strive for his best self every day on the reservation - "Why don't you quit talking in dreams and tell me what you really want to do with your life, I said. "Make it simple, I want to go to Stanford and study architecture."

Junior is a damaged individual with a steel heart that won’t let him give up and crack. Even with every obstacle faced against, Junior manages to handle each problem breaking down the situation with views from each side and looking at each with thought, empathy, and love. That is what makes him such a genuine human being, creating a connection with Junior and a care for him as a human being.

Junior also combats his everyday issues in his life by getting lost in his thoughts with his cartoons and comics - “If you speak and write in English, or Spanish, or Chinese, or any other language, then only a certain percentage of human beings will get your meaning, But when you draw a picture, everybody can understand it.”Junior spends countless hours doodling away, drawing his thoughts ,his passions, his desires, what he loves, all onto his drawings.