61 pages 2 hours read

Jesse Thistle

From the Ashes: My Story of Being Métis, Homeless, and Finding My Way

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2019

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Part 2Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 2: “Falling Apart 1988-1996”

Part 2, Chapter 20 Summary: “My Fabricated Persona”

Part 2, Chapter 20 is a verse chapter in which the speaker describes how he is the “[l]ife of the party” (96) and willing to do anything, from alcohol to drugs. This status makes him feel powerful, but he doesn’t realize that “Indians” are never seen as the “good guys.”

Part 2, Chapter 21 Summary: “Oddball”

Jesse starts sixth grade at a new school but is still unable to read or write well. Jesse’s friend Leeroy and Jesse’s brother Jerry are in seventh grade, and Jesse’s brother Josh is in eighth grade with Leeroy’s sister Sylvia, who now smokes and wears make-up; Jesse finds Sylvia attractive.

Jesse is beginning to notice girls. One day, while waiting to catch the bus, he sees a red-headed girl named Lucie; she is a swimmer and hangs out with the cool children at school. Jesse sees her talking to two other girls. He makes conversation with them; the other girls laugh and roll their eyes, but Lucie smiles and introduces herself to him.

Part 2, Chapter 22 Summary: “Just Like the Rest of Them”

Jesse skips school and goes to a mall with Leeroy and another boy named Richard. Leeroy and Richard order fries and gravy, but Jesse doesn’t have any money. He hopes the other two will share their food, but they don’t and laugh at him.

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