In
Tommy Orange’s There There, storytelling plays a critical role in constructing
the novel’s narrative and in many of the characters’ lives. Since history,
especially in the context of the United States for Native Americans, is framed by
the “victors,” Native Americans’ historical memory is not a pleasant one. Because
of this, storytelling helps bridge the gap between the unpleasant historical
memory of relocation and assimilation and the rich culture of Native Americans.
After suffering for centuries in the United
States by losing wars, being forced to relocate, and having their culture erased
through forced assimilation, storytelling serves as a powerful tool in Native
American culture. The novel itself serves as a vehicle of storytelling, as the
readers are exposed to a diverse set of characters, each of whom are grapple
with what it means to be Native American. In the prologue, Orange writes, “getting
us to cities was supposed to be the final, necessary step in our assimilation, absorption,
erasure, the completion of a five-hundred-year-old genocidal campaign” (8). In
telling stories, Native Americans are able to portray their point of view in
modern society. This is one of their best tools to pass down their culture
through generations as their unity and culture continues to weaken.
Perhaps the character most concerned
with storytelling is Dene Oxendene. Orange describes Dene as “not recognizably
Native. He is ambiguously nonwhite” (28). As Dene is not fully Native American,
he is not connected to his culture like he would like to be. Because of this,
he is unable to completely fit in anywhere, and most people ask him what he is
(29). His uncle Lucas inspires him to pursue a cultural grant in which he wants
to ask Native Americans what their story is. In Dene’s own words, he states, “let
them tell their stories with no one else there, with no direction or
manipulation or agenda. I want them to be able to say what they want. Let the
content direct the vision. There are so many stories here” (40). Dene sees this
project as an opportunity to explore what it means to be Native American in the
United States today, as opposed to what it means to be Native American in the
United States centuries ago. In doing this, Dene is allowing for Native
Americans of today to dictate what it means to live as a Native American in the
United States, and he believes it is of the utmost importance to appreciate
what these people have to say. Dene states, “I want to pay the storytellers for
their stories. Stories are invaluable, but to pay is to appreciate” (40). He believes
so much in the importance of storytelling that he wants to pay the storytellers
for being strong enough to tell their story; this also serves as a small way
for him to help pay people back for the many injustices perpetrated upon Native
Americans over a long period of time. Dene sees storytelling as a mechanism to
keep the Native American culture alive. Nobody’s story should be lost.
Storytelling is a powerful instrument of
good in There There. For Orange and Oxendene, it serves as a way to
provide people with a different perspective, one that readers cannot learn in history
books. Much of history has been unfavorable to Native Americans, and
storytelling allows Native Americans take back control of their culture.
I think that Dene Oxendene plays a very interesting role in There There, because the novel places such an emphasis on storytelling, and Dene’s portion revolves around precisely that. Dene helps open the novel, as the second character introduced, when he takes on his Uncle Lucas’s project of creating a documentary that allows Native Americans to tell their stories unedited. Dene also helps close the story, as he is the first character to be shot at the powwow. He is at his storytelling booth when the shooting begins – I think that the fact that Dene is the first person to be shot, while he is working on allowing Native Americans to tell their stories, is symbolic of the fact that Native Americans and their stories have been silenced for so many years. While it was not necessarily the intention of the shooters, by shooting Dene and destroying his booth, an implication could have been that these stories were lost and their tellers once again silenced. However, it is important that Dene did not die in the shooting. A pole from his booth took the actual bullet and while it fell aggressively into him, the pole protected him from the bullet itself and saved Dene’s life. The booth was his storytelling booth – this is yet another symbol. This could mean that the stories, and the ability to tell them, can act as a savior for Native Americans. As a population, Native Americans have been through a tremendous amount of suffering and silencing. Many characters, like Dene and Lucas, emphasized that it is important that these stories do not get forgotten. Native Americans can use their stories to grow and learn, and the stories (in the form of the storytelling booth) saved Dene’s life.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the aspect of storytelling throughout the novel is essential to provide a platform for these Urban Indians to tell their story from their unique point of view. Dene’s idea to get many Native Americans now living in cities to tell their stories is not only aiming to publicize their story, or their beliefs, but also to give these people an outlet, to give them someone who is truly listening to them. Dene touches upon this idea when pitching his storytelling idea by saying “‘[it’s] just what our community needs considering how long it’s been ignored, has remained invisible’” (40). These stories need to be told, not only to open the eyes of others living in America to the fact that Native Americans are still present, and they are still facing oppression, but also to gives these Natives a person who wants to hear and most importantly appreciate their stories. The importance of these stories for Native Americans is not only because it is an outlet for them, but it also is a kind of homage to their ancestry as storytelling was vital for their ancestors. Centuries ago all of Native American history was retold through stories, as well as important lessons for the young as seen in the prologue with the story of the rolling head (6). Throughout the novel storytelling is imperative in giving voice to the voiceless, but also to connect these voiceless to their heritage.
ReplyDelete