Junior is a coming-of-age story about a young man named Junior, who is struggling to find his place in the world. He is a Native American living on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington State. He is a talented basketball player, but his dreams of playing college basketball are threatened by his poor grades and lack of money. Junior's life is further complicated when his father, an alcoholic, returns home after a long absence. Junior must now deal with his father's presence, as well as his own feelings of guilt and anger. He also has to deal with the racism and prejudice he faces from the white people in the nearby town. Junior's struggles lead him to a crossroads, where he must decide whether to stay on the reservation and accept his fate, or to leave and pursue his dreams. Along the way, he learns valuable lessons about family, friendship, and identity.
By Robert Abernathy · First published 1956 · Genre: Coming of Age, Fiction, Drama