in/ex

In/external Conflict Paragraph: Absolutes Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexi

Junior is having major conflict with fitting in at his new school. Kids single him out because he has poorer clothes than they do, plus being from the rez doesn’t help. “Yes, we all know there’s such amazing science on the reservation,” (Alexi, p. 85) His science teacher, Mr. Douglas, taunts as Junior speaks out in class. The students treat him like yesterdays’ trash, and they assume he’s stupid since he came from such a place, it doesn’t matter that he probably has a higher IQ than most the people there. People call him terrible stereotypical names. He really doesn’t feel like he doesn’t belong- trapped, in fact. He knows that his parents wouldn’t blame him if he decided to return to his old school. But everyone else would think him a coward, a traitor for leaving. So Junior is really up against a wall here since he can’t go back, but it’s going to be difficult to stay if this doesn’t stop soon.