Shrestha 1

Eunish Shrestha

Essay Final Draft 1

English 105

16 December, 2019

Tim Maxwell

Internet addiction

There There by Tommy Orange is a unique book that includes the perspective of

multiple characters who are all connected to Native American culture in one way or

another. By showing the struggles the characters face everyday, Orange also reveals

what it means to be an urban Indian in modern day society. In the book different

characters face multiple social issues everyday. There is internet addiction, rape,

poverty, homelessness, and much more. Internet addiction was one of the issues that

stuck out to me because I have dealt with this issue in the past. When I was in ninth

grade and had just begun watching anime, I spent an average of fifteen hours a day

using the internet. This held me back in many ways because I would ignore my

responsibilities to use the internet. As a result when I read There There I could relate to

Edwin Black in several ways. Edwin Black, a native adult, wants pride in himself and

comfort. However, his personal struggles, which is caused by fear and need, holds him

back in many different ways mentally and physically. This leads to him resorting to

internet and getting addicted. However, Edwin gets a job and finds his dad to get what

he wants, overcoming his challenges one step at a time.

In the first chapter that we meet Edwin, we learn he wants and needs to poop. It

had “been six days since” Edwin had his “last movement” (Orange 62), and he felt like
 Shrestha 2

something was stuck inside of him. Poop, something disgusting from inside our body

that has to come out, creates many problems when it does not come out. The

constipation Edwin is dealing with makes him uncomfortable and shameful. Through

Edwin’s need to poop, Orange symbolically addresses the problem of how Indian

stories are hidden, and not everyone knows the true history. Like Edwin’s poop, Native

history has many disgusting stories hidden. Orange believes that the stories need to

come out, or they will continue to create problems like how poop was creating problems

for Edwin.

Edwin also wants to be fit and lose some weight. In the first chapter Edwin looks

at a mirror and sees how big and fat he is. This is the consequence of his internet

addiction, as he mentions how he was “getting fatter in real life” while the Edwin Black I

had in there, on there, I made him thinner,” (Orange 63). As he gains weight Edwin also

loses his stamina and has a hard time working out, which could possibly affect his job.

When Edwin looks at himself in the mirror, he sees himself and what he has become.

This makes him feel disgusted. However, his lack of social support prevents him from

getting enough motivation to work out and goes back to using the internet.

In second life, Edwin also shows his need for a family. Though Edwin was a half

native from his dad’s side, he knew nothing about native culture or what heritage he

belonged to. Edwin’s dad and mom, Karen, had separated before he was born, and all

Karen remembered was “his first name, Harvey, that he lived in Phoenix, and that he

was a Native American”(Orange 69). This resulted in Edwin growing up with a single

parent who was constantly working to take care of him. As a result, he was alone and

did not have anyone he could always count on at home. Internet addiction made this
 Shrestha 3

struggle worse because as he would never go outside, he could not get a girlfriend or

any friends in real life. His fear to lose people who are dear to him may also have had

an effect on why he struggled to go out.

Edwin always dreamed to “become a writer” (Orange 63). Edwin went to

university and got a master’s in comparative literature with a focus on Native American

Literature” (Orange 63). However, he never became a writer because after he got his

degree, Edwin speat years online not working and playing second life. In second life he

also hints some of his wants. For example, he wants a job, but because he always stays

in his house using his internet, he struggles to find any job that he could do or have

interest to do so. he shows jealousy toward the Edwin in second life because Edwin in

second life is proud of his life, while he is not. His addiction to the internet made him

waste four years of his life after graduation to do nothing. This resulted in him losing his

dreams and goals which lead to lack of motivation to work. As a result, Edwin's life had

become hopeless at the time.

Internet addiction has become a huge problem for Edwin as it is making his

struggles worse. His internet addiction made him lonely, held him back from getting a

job, and gave him many other struggles that he had to overcome somehow. One of the

reasons internet addiction hurt Edwin so much was because it did not solve his

problem, but it gave him alternatives that let him run away from his problems instead.

For example, he had “660 friends” (Orange 69) online native friends on facebook which

seem to make him less lonely, but online friends are not like real life friends. Another

example would be second life because though he did not work and have a family in real

life, he devoted all his time to accomplish that in second life which wasted years of his
 Shrestha 4

life. However this did not stop him, Edwin took small step one by one to get over his

struggle and get what he wants.

When Edwin saw himself in a mirror, he did not like the fact he was big, so Edwin

decided to work out. Though Edwin did not have a lot of stamina to work out a lot,

Edwin “attempt[s] some pushups,” and he “roll[s] over and tr[ies] a sit-up” (Orange 77).

This symbolizes how he is starting to overcome his challenges, and getting over his

internal struggle to work toward what he wants instead of running away from his

struggles. He is starting to face his challenges head on and move forward in life. This

resulted in him pooping out on his pants, and feeling relieved because he is not stuck

anymore. This makes Edwin feel comfort, and he starts to show the readers some hope

for a better future.

Then Edwin finds out his father’s name through Karen, and decides to get in

contact with him. Edwin “Personal messaged ten different Harveys from her profile who

seemed “oviously Native and lived in Phoenix.” (Orange 69) . He finds out his dad is the

emcee at the upcoming Powwow. Then through help from Karen, Edwin manages to

find an internship as an assistant at the Powwow. In the Powwow he works as an

assistant for Blue. Edwin takes any steps that are necessary to find his dad, and tries to

get his family together. His internet addiction that was keeping his separated from the

real world was starting to fade away, and Edwins had started to take steps to get what

he wants. The readers also find out a secret that Edwin or Blue does not know that they

are step siblings. Edwin is getting closer to attaining a family which he had worked so

hard for.
 Shrestha 5

However Edwin gets shot in the stomach by drug dealers that came to steal the

prize money during the Powwow. As Blue remarks, “Edwin is out of breath and starting

to look pale.” (Orange 281). Edwin was about the lose the slightest hope that he had

worked so hard for because of some gang violence that he had nothing to do with. This

symbolizes innocent natives being killed by the pilgrims when the europeans moved to

America. Since the gun used by the drug dealers was colored white, it symbolizes the

white people killing the Indians thoughtlessly, and the Powwow represents the Indian

festival where the whites mass killed the entire tribe of Indians, as told in one story

version of Thanksgiving celebration.

Although Edwin gets shot in the stomach and it seems like there is no hope for

Edwin, he does manage to get to the hospital with the help of Blue. Harvey, Edwin’s

dad, and Blue “settle Edwin on the gurney.” (Orange 283) This means Edwin most likely

lives on; Therefore there is still hope for Edwin because as the readers, we know that

he is very close to getting his entire family together again. Also he has started to work

now, and is getting over his struggles. Edwin is slowly starting to attain his wants, and

there is hope for him to be proud of himself like his character from second life, who he

was jealous of.

Works Cited

Orange, Tommy. There There. Emblem Editions, 2020.