Embedded Files
Past Experiences:
Native Americans have endured many “tragic encounters with European colonizers” that have shaped their history. Orange’s novel traverses the “century old” theme of cultural identity and understanding, when your culture is actively being neglected and destroyed. Orange “expertly weaves together” an abundance of individual experiences searching for their identity as the journey towards a powwow event, strategically crafting a larger, impactful story. The novel is set up incredibly. When writing the individual stories, Orange includes moments of "beauty and sadness and humor,” which gives the novel its “soul.” Eventually, all of the individual stories that Orange creates come together and mix into one “heartbreaking tapestry.” While the novel includes moments of relation and happiness, like many historical eras that Orange references in his work, the novel ends in "tragedy.” Overall, Orange utilizes the devastating theme of the destruction of identity in order to represent the dreadful experiences endured by the Native Americans.
The Future of Native Americans:
Orange creates a story in which multiple characters find their way to a powwow event in Oakland, California, all while trying to find their cultural identity and themselves. Orange uses vivid detail to describe the tragedies Native Americans faced during the time of colonization, manifest destiny, and imperialism. Towards the end of Orange’s novel “There There,” all twelve characters made it to the Oakland powwow. Many of the characters were overwhelmed with a feeling of fulfillment and belonging. Orange uses poignant techniques like descriptive language and imagery to describe the vibrant colors of the powwow, the extravagant dances of people in native clothing, and the mouth watering aroma of native dishes. Despite the inclusive festivities, a robbery ensues and gun shots break out, turning the empowering event into a horrific massacre. Orange articulates this tragedy in a way that symbolizes the future of Native Americans. Native power in America is lost, and, despite the coming together of Native Americans, will never return nor be forgotten.
Modern Natives:
Orange addresses the common misconception that the Native Americans of today all live on reservations. He claims that modern natives are “everyday people” and live in urban cities and neighborhoods. Orange rebuts this myth by telling the stories of many modern natives who all live off the reservations. Modern natives often live normal lives, but still have lingering effects from forced assimilation. Many natives suffer from alcoholism, “intergenerational poverty,” and drug abuse. Despite modern natives’ damnation to “repeat past mistakes,” they remain fierce, dedicated, and optimistic for the future of Native Americans. Orange utilizes multiple narrators in order to explore each of these different challenges forced onto Native Americans.
Historical Importance:
Historically, the Native Americans have had to deal with the constant oppression of the “rights of minorities.” Orange argues the “importance of retelling history,” claiming that, without documenting historical events, past minority groups are “doomed to repeat past mistakes.” Native Americans have dealt with “forced assimilation,” “mistreatment,” and the constant pressure of racial prejudices. Retelling such historical experiences is crucial for the future of Native Americans. Orange explains that retelling historical events is important because it will help Native Americans to have a better understanding of themselves, their culture, their identity, and how they themselves can better the future for all Native Americans.
Postcolonialism:
Native Americans, since the first colonizers arrived in the Americas, have dealt with the devastating effects of othering. Othering is when certain groups, often minority communities, are treated unfairly in reference to their ethnically different counterparts. Orange claims that the effects of othering has harmed the Native Americans for generations, including the Native Americans of today. He explores the effects of othering throughout his story, and explores how othering can have different effects on different families. For some, it can lead to drug and alcohol abuse, for others, it can lead to poverty and homelessness. The effects of othering are important to study because they are often overlooked and disregarded because of current historical texts.
So Much History:
Orange must retell so many historical events in such incredible detail because he cannot rely on his audience to know these details. Native American history is often overlooked. History books and texts often portray the encounters between Native Americans and European colonizers as peaceful and mutually beneficial. Thanksgiving, for example, is often seen as a celebration of the alliance between the Native Americans and the European colonizers, and a celebration of the new food and cultivation techniques that the Native Americans and Europeans shared with each other. However, the Native Americans harvested and cooked all of the food at the feast, and were later murdered. Orange uses vivid imagery and details to recall historical events and experiences within the Native American community because people are unaware of the true despair the Native Americans endured.
What Does Being a Native American Mean?
Throughout Orange’s novel “There There,” the theme of search for oneself and identity is constantly explored. Modern Native Americans often feel as if they don’t know themselves because their culture has been lost. Orange is able to explore these themes through the “power of fiction.” By using a “diverse set of storytelling tools,” Orange is able to transform his characters from ones who have “lost their culture,” into ones who have “developed identity.” This theme is important for Orange to discuss because it is often overlooked by today’s society. Orange constantly reminds us of the importance of retelling historical events, and never losing sight of our culture and identity.
Page updated
Report abuse