Oscar Character Analysis in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Junior’s dog. Junior sees Oscar as “the only living thing that I could depend on” and “a better person than any human I had ever known.” When Oscar gets sick early in the novel, Junior’s Dad has to kill him because there is not enough money to take him to the vet.

Oscar Character Timeline in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

The timeline below shows where the character Oscar appears in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Identity, Belonging, and Coming-of-Age Theme Icon

Racism, Poverty, and Alcoholism Theme Icon

In fact, the worst thing about being poor is what happened when his “best friend Oscar”—the family dog—got sick. To Junior, Oscar was the only living thing he could depend on—more... (full context)

However, when Junior asks his mom to take Oscar to the vet, she tells him they can’t afford the hundreds of dollars it would... (full context)

Junior feels this sense of defeat when he says goodbye to Oscar, before his dad shoots the dog to put him out of his misery. After all,... (full context)

After Oscar’s death, Junior wants to disappear, but his best friend Rowdy talks him out of it,... (full context)