Tommy Orange’s novel, There There, brings to life the stories of multiple characters of Native American descent. The novel discusses how gentrification has impacted the lives of native individuals and the hardships they face because of their racial identity. It discusses other very real issues which are often associated with those of Native American descent such as poverty and alcohol abuse. However, I found it interesting how the novel aims to bring to attention the cultural uniqueness of Native American society by sharing the unique traditions and variances in gender roles in Native American culture. In the novel There There, Tommy Orange depicts the female characters as individuals who play a particularly influential role in the lives of their families in contrast to the more dismissed role women generally have in the typical male-dominated patriarchal culture.
The women in the novel who portray the role of a motherly caretaker are depicted both as very strong women, but also those who deserve to be protected. Octavio Gomez plays the role of a drug dealer who plans the robbery of the Powwow. In the novel, he returns to his grandmother’s home unable to stand and climb the stairs on his own. Orange writes, “By the time I got back to my grandma Josefina’s house I could barely stand. She had to drag me up the stairs. My grandma’s old and small, and I was pretty big even then, but Fina’s strong” (171). Josefina is the mother figure in Octavio’s life and even after he has grown up and she has aged he still relies on her for strength. He goes to her when he is weak which shows how much he thinks she can withstand.
When Octavio is lying in his bed unable to move, his grandmother Josefina takes care of him and tells him the story of her past. She tells him about when she got pregnant even though she was not yet married and told her father that she was not going to have the child. He was angered and got ready to hit her with a big spoon until Josefina’s mother stepped in. Orange writes “My mom stopped him. He’d cross anyone, any line, but not through her” (173). The respect that Josefina’s father has for her mother demonstrates how much those who fulfill the role of the mother in the family are valued. Through the father’s understanding of needing to protect the mother from harm, it is emphasized that women are treasured in Native American cultures and are prioritized in the home.
Later in the novel, Thomas Frank, a drummer participating in the powwow, travels by train to the coliseum where the powwow is taking place. During the journey, he reflects on his family and thinks, “You feel a rush of sadness for your mom and her failed Christianity, for your failed family” (222). The sympathy which Thomas has for his mother shows how even as he has entered adulthood she has continued to play an influential role in his life. When Thomas is at his worst after being fired from his job, rather than pitying himself, he sits and thinks about his mother and all she has gone through. Orange adds “Before anyone was awake, your mom was crying into her prayer book. You looked into that book more than once because you wanted to know what questions, what private conversations she might have had with God” (223). Thomas felt the need to understand her pain even as a child showing how much he has always cared about his mother. His desire to understand his mother’s pain and emotions even as a young child shows how even as children Native Americans have been engrained to value and care for the mother figures in their lives.
Overall, women are seen with a large sense of worth within the Native American culture and are treated with high levels of admiration even by the male figures in the family. Women tend to be central to Native American culture which contrasts to patriarchal societies that tend to revolve more around male dominance.
I was particularly interested as well in the roles of women in the novel as well. While I agree that women are seen as more valued in the novel, I also think there is still male dominance asserted.
ReplyDeleteWomen in the novel had issues with male dominance. For example, Opal says, "The more important-seeming Indians tended to get mad more easily. These were the men. And the women weren't listened to as much as our mom would have liked" (Orange 50). Even Opal at a young age was able to notice the gender discrimination that took place in her community. I think this could also be part of the reason why they left Alcatraz.
I also think within families when there is no father figure present, the women has to take on that role. This is apparent in a lot of the characters' stories. Daniel's mother was abused by her father, when he was kicked out she stepped in to take care of the family. Octavio's grandmother also took charge when his father died. Opal takes care of the three grandsons. This is a common underlying trend within the novel and it leads to me wonder if it would be the same dynamic if all families had a father figure present?
Not only does Orange highlight how important women are in Native American cultures but also how much they sacrifice in order to help others. For example, Opal continuously works every day, even though she is has gotten a lot older because she needs to provide for her adopted grandsons. Every time she is out on her mail route, she looks in the mirror and sees the “years on her face, the lines and wrinkles that surround her eyes” (Orange 159) reminding her of how much time has passed, and how her life as changed. Opal has willingly and unwillingly sacrificed a lot in her life. This can be seen when her mom forces her to move to Alcatraz or when she hits Ronald on the head to save her sister. Even now she “bore those years, their weight, and the years bored a hole through the middle of her” (Orange 162). Opal sacrifices herself and her mental health constantly to be there for others because she is “stone solid” (Orange 162) even though she has a lot of emotional trauma. She refuses to let herself fall apart because she needs to be there for her adopted grand children. So, she takes back some control through superstitions.
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