The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Why does Junior draw cartoons? How does it help him live his life? Does he ever show the drawings to anyone? Does he use the drawings to communicate with others, or just to help him visualize his own thoughts?

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Drawing is therapy for Junior. He uses cartoons and doodling to express his inner emotions. The pictures help Junior understand himself as well as communicate how he feels to other people,

"In the same way that dreams are understood to have meanings, doodles can also indicate what is going in the subconscious...unlike words, everyone can understand pictures."

Junior draws himself in the self-depreciating way he sees himself. Junior uses cartoonish humour to display his own low self-esteem. We also see Junior's picture of himself juggling a chainsaw, a bunny rabbit, and a book: he is screaming "LOVE ME". This picture speaks to Junior feeling overwhelmed at his lack of identity and low self-esteem; he want's to be noticed and liked.