The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Soundtrack

FRIENDSHIP
1. WHITE STRIPES- WE'RE GOING TO BE FRIENDS
This song goes perfectly with the theme of friendship. Friends play a huge role in Junior's life as they teach him lessons and are sometimes more important to him than his family. Growing up, Junior loses his best friend (a dog) and then also his one and only other best friend Rowdy. But throughout the story though, things turn for the better as Junior befriends many people at Reardan. All these new friends teach him a lesson. For example, Gordy helps him learn how to study and read. Penelope teaches him about love and caring. Through his new friends, Junior learns about a unfamiliar world of white parents and white kids. 
    In the chapter "Halloween" Junior talks to Penelope about their costumes as homeless people. At this part of the story, Penelope and Junior are not YET friends but they do have a little conversation where she smiles at him. 
So, I see this conversation taking place between the two at school. 
(Pg. 81)
I was just going to let her go. But I had to say something memorable, something huge. 
"Hey!" I called after her. 
"What?" she asked. 
"It feels good, doesn't it?"
"What feels good?"
"It feels good to help people, doesn't it?" I asked
"Yes," she said. "Yes, it does."
She smiled.
THEN BOOM, the song comes on, as she is walking away and he has a big, cheesy smile on his face. 
The song also foreshadows the relationship between Junior and Penelope. Later in the novel, after this moment, the two do develop a friendship/relationship. I would even say this moment in a way acts like a catalyst to their future relationship, because her smile allows him to see that their is a chance between them. The next time he sees her, he takes the chance to befriend her once more. 
The song itself is very innocent and playful sounding. It is cute and the first verse goes perfectly with this scene in the book ( the two in homeless costumes talking to one another).

2. QUEEN- YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND
Going along with the theme of friendship, this song sums up the relationship between Junior and his best buddy Rowdy. Through thick and thin, the two manage to stick together, even with huge fights along the way. His relationship with Rowdy is very vital to him, as he does not give up on it. Junior makes friends at Reardan, but he always manages to go back to Rowdy. So, at the end of the book the two play basketball until dark, which shows that their friendship is back and in tact. 
I imagine a scene of the two playing basketball, while Junior (as an over voice) cites the final passage in the book.
Rowdy and I played one-on-one for hours. We played until dark. We played until the streetlights lit up the court. We played until the bats swooped down at our heads. We played until the moon was huge and golden and perfect in the dark sky. 
       We didn't keep score. (and BAM! the song comes on)
and then camera slowly zooms further and further away from them while the song is playing and credits are being shown. 


HOPE;JOY
3. THE DIVINE COMEDY-TONIGHT WE FLY
There is plenty of "hope" in this book. Junior hopes that by going to Reardan, he has a chance of a bright future compared to the dull one he is destined for if he stays at the school on the Rez. His sister, Mary, also feels hopeful, and joyous, when she leaves to go to Montana and start a new life with her husband. One particular moment in the story that has Junior feeling hopeful, is when his classmates walk out on his teacher after her rude remarks to Junior. 
First all the students drop their books, and leave the classroom. Then, Junior is left there standing alone. He starts laughing realizing that their reason for the protest (Junior) is still left in the classroom. AS HE IS LAUGHING THIS SONG COMES ON. The beginning is instrumental, which is what is playing as he is laughing and says his comeback to his teacher. 
    (Pg. 176)
     "What are you laughing at?" Mrs. Jeremy asked me. 
     "I used to think the world was broken down by tribes," I said. "By black and white. By indian and white. But now I know that isn't true. The world is only broken into two tribes: The people who are assholes and the people who are not."
    (I walked out of the classroom and felt like dancing and singing.
    It all gave me hope. It gave me a little bit of joy.)
As he is walking out of the classroom with a joyous grin and hopeful heart, the first 2 or 3 lines of the first verse play. 
     I thought this happy, pop sounding song which is about joy, and feeling free and flying perfectly sums up this moment in the story. Also, the beginning is a great instrumental sound that slowly builds up to the joyous moment. Junior has a lot of hope in him and that is what keeps him going in the story. His hope is what leads him to happiness at the end. His hope is what mends his relationship with Rowdy. With his life, it seems that the easiest thing to do is give up, but because he has hope, he believes that giving up is not an option.