<P> Poverty is a theme that is introduced by the main character at the very beginning on the book . Junior knows that his family is poor, just as every other family who lives on the reservation . Junior and his family often go without meals for extended periods of time, and therefore savor the meals that they do get . The death of Oscar, the canine best friend of Junior, is shot by his father because their family can't afford to pay the veterinarian bills . The poverty disparity is also evident when Junior transfers schools to Reardan and notices the difference in quality of clothing between him and his rich, white peers . He even, on occasion, walks to and from school because his family doesn't have the gas or transportation to get him there and home . Ashamed of economic status, Junior does everything in his power to ensure that none of his peers find out that his family is poor, such as making excuses, lying, and borrowing money . </P> <P> The novel uses humorous narratives and comics to convey the theme of race . It explores racial issues such as stereotyping of Native and White people, the use of indigenous culture as sports mascots, interracial friendships, and cultural tokenization . For example, Junior notes that the only other "Indian" at Reardan was its school mascot, calling attention to the ubiquitous use of indigenous symbols in sports (see "List of sports team names and mascots derived from indigenous peoples"). Although Junior often dichotomizes Whites and Indians, Alexie reveals the stereotyping that occurs while still blurring the lines between races . Junior eventually establishes friendship with many of the White Reardan students, who see past race and accept him for his caring nature, his intelligence, and his basketball talents . </P> <P> Alcohol abuse is an issue salient to the Spokane reservation . It is directly responsible for the character deaths in the novel and the deaths of most of the Indians on the reservation . The novel highlights the destructive nature of alcohol abuse and its major contribution to the stagnation of progression at the reservation and dysfunction of the family . Junior voices his disapproval for its widespread use and considers it to be directly responsible for much of the disarray in his own family . </P> <P> The portrayal of alcoholism in the novel is representative of the problem Native Americans have with the use of alcohol . Much of Alexie's desire to explore and address the issue of alcoholism derives from his own experiences with alcohol on the reservation . When asked if he feels the need to address alcoholism as a Native American, he replied "the whole race is filled with alcoholics . For those Indians who try to pretend it's a stereotype, they're in deep, deep denial," and by addressing it that "with the social hope that by writing about it, maybe it'll help people get sober, and it has ." </P>

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