Junior's most dominant personality trait, arguably, is his ability to persevere in spite of great adversity. He does not lose his sense of hope, and his hope for a better future drives him to make difficult decisions. For example, in the fourth chapter of the novel, Junior throws his book at his math teacher, Mr. P, when he realizes his mother had been one of the previous owners of the book. The educational system on the reservation is so under-funded that it cannot afford to buy updated books for the students, and Junior thinks this treatment is unfair. He does not necessarily want to hurt Mr. P, but Junior, in that moment, sees Mr. P as representative of a failed educational system. In the following chapter, Mr. P visits Junior and acknowledges Junior's perseverance and his inner sense of hope:
"But not you," Mr. P said. "You can't give up. You won't give up. You threw that book in my face because somewhere inside you refuse to give up" (43).
In this situation with Mr. P, readers see Junior's most dominant personality trait in action.
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