Homelessness And Substance Abuse In Tommy Orange's 'Still There'

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Rayley Palmer Mrs. Hamar CP English III 23 May, 2024.

Giving Yourself a Chance

The novel “There There” by Tommy Orange has a story centered around twelve different perspectives told by different characters. We see many different cases of homelessness and substance abuse. However, I believe that the two main themes in this book are taking pride in yourself, and how we can change one’s situation. In an online Q&A, Tommy answered a question asking what the point or hidden meaning behind the book was. However, Tommy said that there wasn’t a point in writing the novel purely because he liked literature and he couldn’t see much Native American representation. So he decided to write this novel exploring these character’s experiences and their culture.

In the first chapter, we see Oakland from the perspective of Tony Loneman. Tony is a twenty-one year old with “The Drome”, a man with fetal alcohol syndrome. Tony experiences many different …show more content…
Opal feels that their family does not have the privilege of "learning about their heritage." Opal takes great effort to emphasize to Orvil and his brothers, Lony and Loother, that not much of contemporary Native culture is unique and that a great deal of Native tradition has only survived as a result of the manner in which Native people have had to make due with the crumbs that their white oppressors have left behind. However Orvil is pulled to his Native identity even though Opal tries to protect him from the challenges of negotiating a cultural tradition rich in suffering, trauma, and exclusion. He learns about Native American culture and learns some Native dances over the internet. He takes some antique regalia out of Opal's wardrobe and makes the plan to go to the Big Oakland Powwow in secret with his
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expected. However, this should not undermine the importance and benefits of assimilation. Engaging with multicultural literature such as Living Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican in America by Margarita Longoria, Neil Diamond’s Reel Injun, and Tommy Orange’s There There, showcases the internal dilemma individuals…

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