One thing that I discovered after reading the novel is that it is common for people, primarily white Americans, to think of minorities as nothing other than their minority group. After reading about all of the characters in the novel I realized that people are much more than their label, and they are often dealing with several disadvantages or struggles at once. This reminds me of the concept of intersectionality, which is essentially an overlap of minority groups or disadvantages in society. Intersectionality reminds us that everyone has their own unique experiences since no one has the exact same attributes as another person. We see this concept many times throughout the book as the characters struggle not only with their Native American identity but also with their own personal struggles such as addiction, disabilities, poverty, and health.
In the novel, the character Tony Loneman deals with something more complicated than just being a Native American in Oakland. Loneman struggles with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, which is an example of a character who is much more complicated than his minority group. I found it interesting how Loneman explained his disability as a power and a curse. He stated that it described his past and his history. “The Drome is my mom, and why she drank, it’s the way history lands on my face, and all the ways I made it so far” (Orange, 21). This is similar to the way people view minority groups. Although some people might look a certain way, this is only because of their history, and it identifies where they came from.
Another character that struggles throughout the novel with issues other than race is Edwin Black. What is interesting about Black’s difficulties is that they are typical stereotypes of western culture. Gambling, Internet addiction, and a bad diet are all things attributed to America’s flawed society. Black explains how he did not grow up fat or overweight; however, he always felt like he was. “I hadn’t grown up fat. Not overweight...But I always felt fat” (Orange, 99). This idea of feeling inferior from the rest of the people you are surrounded by is the same feeling that people part of minority groups feel every day. Could this be Blacks way of dealing with his Native American identity since he feels different from the rest of his peers but can not figure out why. Is black insinuating that he would rather his fatness separates him from everyone else over his Native American roots?
Overall, there are many characters in this novel that deals with issues that go beyond their identity. Some of them struggle with mental health issues, addiction, familial struggles, and more. All of these characters demonstrate that we should be viewing minorities and other people as more than just their minority group. People are very complex individuals with other elements beyond their race or religion. Once we learn to stop grouping people together and assuming they are the same as another person based on similar qualities or characteristics, we will be able to appreciate people more on an individual level.
Hi! I agree with your statement about the terrible notion of people easily grouping minorities with only their identity of being a minority. I think it's interesting that you stated that how physical appearance is both a curse and a power, especially for Tony Loneman. A lot of people perceive others with disabilities with feelings of sympathy and pity. But, Tony doesn't just see his syndrome as this overreaching curse because he looks so different than other people. Yes, he does look physically different, but his syndrome is a power in which he can be more connected to his mother and his own history. His mother was a drunk and had her own issues that influenced her and ultimately him. He is also Native American, in which his skin color and how he looks is also shown. Also, Edwin Black is an interesting character as he identifies himself with being overweight, as he has always felt it within him even when he was not overweight. I feel like he partly relates it to him being a Native American and living in conditions of Oakland. But again, it's both a curse and a power as he finds his identity through it, but also is looked down upon in society. I agree we shouldn't put people in boxes and give them more credit with what and who they identify with.
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