The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

by

Sherman Alexie

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Diary of a Part-Time Indian makes teaching easy.

Mary Runs Away Character Analysis

Junior’s older sister, nicknamed “Mary Runs Away” because of her unpredictability. At the beginning of the novel, she has been living alone in her parents’ basement ever since she “froze” after graduating high school; Junior calls her “the prettiest and strongest and funniest person who ever spent twenty-three hours a day alone in a basement.” He learns from Mr. P that she is extremely smart and once dreamed of writing romance novels—a dream she takes up again after Junior’s leaving the reservation inspires her to leave as well, suddenly marrying a Flathead Indian man and moving to Montana. She is very happy there until she dies in an accidental fire started while she was drunk.

Mary Runs Away Quotes in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

The The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian quotes below are all either spoken by Mary Runs Away or refer to Mary Runs Away. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Identity, Belonging, and Coming-of-Age Theme Icon
).
Chapter 4 Quotes

After high school, my sister just froze. Didn’t go to college, didn’t get a job. Didn’t do anything. Kind of sad, I guess.
But she is also beautiful and strong and funny. She is the prettiest and strongest and funniest person who ever spent twenty-three hours a day alone in a basement.

Related Characters: Junior (Arnold Spirit, Jr.) (speaker), Mary Runs Away
Page Number: 26
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 29 Quotes

I would always love Rowdy. And I would always miss him, too. Just as I would always love and miss my grandmother, my big sister, and Eugene.
Just as I would always love and miss my reservation and my tribe.
I hoped and prayed that they would someday forgive me for leaving them.
I hoped and prayed that I would someday forgive myself for leaving them.

Related Characters: Junior (Arnold Spirit, Jr.) (speaker), Rowdy, Mary Runs Away, Grandmother Spirit, Eugene
Page Number: 230
Explanation and Analysis:
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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian PDF

Mary Runs Away Quotes in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

The The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian quotes below are all either spoken by Mary Runs Away or refer to Mary Runs Away. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Identity, Belonging, and Coming-of-Age Theme Icon
).
Chapter 4 Quotes

After high school, my sister just froze. Didn’t go to college, didn’t get a job. Didn’t do anything. Kind of sad, I guess.
But she is also beautiful and strong and funny. She is the prettiest and strongest and funniest person who ever spent twenty-three hours a day alone in a basement.

Related Characters: Junior (Arnold Spirit, Jr.) (speaker), Mary Runs Away
Page Number: 26
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 29 Quotes

I would always love Rowdy. And I would always miss him, too. Just as I would always love and miss my grandmother, my big sister, and Eugene.
Just as I would always love and miss my reservation and my tribe.
I hoped and prayed that they would someday forgive me for leaving them.
I hoped and prayed that I would someday forgive myself for leaving them.

Related Characters: Junior (Arnold Spirit, Jr.) (speaker), Rowdy, Mary Runs Away, Grandmother Spirit, Eugene
Page Number: 230
Explanation and Analysis: