Back to the old days

              In the end of the novel, “The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian,” Rowdy and Junior reconcile while playing one-on-one basketball, and resolve to agree no matter where the future takes them. Rowdy begins to accept the fact that Arnold has left the reservation, and Arnold has found a way of looking at himself that is not only based on "white" or "Indian," but that he belongs to many different tribes.

            The last sentence of this book “We didn't keep score” (Alexie, 229) reflects Rowdy and Arnold’s change in friendship.  “He wanted to play. He didn't want to turn his back on me. He wanted to kill me, face-to-face.”(Alexie, 144) This quote shows that when Rowdy played Arnold in the chapter “Reindeer games,” he did it merely to beat and destroy him. But in the end, they gave up their anger for each other by not even caring about who won, they just wanted to be with each other like the old times. This also shows that Rowdy’s competitive ways were diminishing and he’d rather have his best friend then to prove who was better.

            In conclusion, the last sentence, “we didn’t keep score” shows that their old friendship is beginning to restore itself and their anger and competitiveness for each other is melting away. 

-Michelle