Here's why it's an oxymoron:
* "Indian" refers to a person's cultural heritage and identity, something that is inherently whole and complete.
* "Part-Time" implies a lack of wholeness or a division of identity.
This oxymoron encapsulates the central conflict of the novel. Junior, the protagonist, feels torn between two worlds: the impoverished, reservation life he knows and the "white" world of the Reardan High School he attends. The oxymoron highlights the inherent struggle of belonging and the impossibility of fully belonging to either world.
Other potential oxymorons in the novel could include:
* "Happy" and "Sad" as used to describe the reservation's impoverished and often bleak reality.
* "Brave" and "Cowardly" as Junior confronts his own fears and choices while navigating the complex realities of his life.
These oxymorons create a powerful sense of irony and emphasize the contradictory experiences of Junior and his community.