The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Entry #1

"Yep, that's right, I admit that I masturbate. I'm proud of it. I'm good at it. I'm ambidextrous. If there were a Professional Masturbation League, I'd get drafted number one and make millions of dollars. And maybe you're thinking, "Well, you really shouldn't be talking about masturbation in public." Well, tough, I'm going to talk about it because EVERYBODY does it. And EVERYBODY likes it. And if God hadn't wanted us to masturbate. then God wouldn't have given us thumbs. So I thank God for my thumbs." I love this quote. Not because it's "dirty" or "inappropriate", but because it's REAL. It's deep and personal. It's the most personal quote from a diary I have ever read! I love how it's very open and it makes the diary more interesting and compelling to read and sets it apart from other diaries. The emphasis on the word "EVERYBODY" in the capitalization helps me almost hear how the character, Junior, is actually talking. When we talk, we put emphasis into certain words to prove a point, or sometimes talk in incomplete sentences, or don't use proper grammar, or even talk about these "inappropriate" things. We rarely EVER mention anything like this in books that are published because they are considered "informal" and even "shameful" to talk about/do. So when people talk about these uncomfortable things or put emphasis (capitalization) into words it creates a more real and interesting story to read. The quote stands out and makes quite the statement that most people wouldn't make because they are too afraid that they would be judged for "inappropriate content" or doing "shameful" things. I think more diaries should reach this level of realness and connection to real life. Also, I love how he states that he's "proud of it" and boasts claiming he would be the top in his league and how he's "ambidextrous". It really makes the character more child-like and closer to the real world.