Brooklen Chong

Dr. Malashewski

IB English

1 December 2023

In the novel There There by Tommy Orange, Orange uses the different perspectives of

each character to provide the readers with a window into the world of modern-day Native

American struggles. Narrating through two different perspectives helps the readers to sympathize

and understand the characters better. An example is Jacquie and Opal's story. Without hearing

their perspectives on their time on the island, living with Ronald, before and after the powwow,

their story would be missing crucial insights into the complexities behind their actions and

responsibilities.

While on the island, Jacquie begins to explain to Opal about what happened with Harvey

but never tells the full story: "'I told him not to. Then he did. I told him to stop.'" (Orange 56).

Although we could assume that Jacquie got raped while reading from Opal's point of view, we

would not know what fully happened, why, or how she felt during that time. Later on, we get a

further explanation from Jacquie on the event while at an AA meeting with other Native

Americans: "... We had been on Alcatraz, me and my family, back during the occupation, in

1970. It all started for me there. This piece-of-shit kid…Maybe he didn't know what he was

doing, but then again, maybe he went on to fuck over a whole line of women…" (Orange 110).

From this quote, we can feel Jacquie's anger and sadness. Once Jacquie explains how she felt

about the experience on the island with Harvey, it gives us a better understanding of how she was

feeling and how it has affected her, something that we would not be able to understand reading

from Opal's perspective.

 Jacquie's experience with Harvey has affected her in ways some people would not be able

to understand, like triggering her alcohol addiction. She has been using alcohol ever since she

got raped by Harvey and struggled to stay sober every day. "She looked to see if anyone was

coming, then opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle" (Orange 116). Opening up about her

struggles with addiction and how hard it has been for her to stop drinking offers us another

insight into the world of addiction, what has caused it, and how it has affected others.

Alcoholism and other forms of addiction are an occurring theme throughout the novel.

Many of the different characters share their struggles with addiction along with the effects it has

had on the people closest to them. For Jacquie, her addiction problem has immensely affected her

sister Opal. Opal has had to take on the responsibility of caring for Jacquie's grandchildren after

Jacquie's daughter passed. We learn about Opal's hardships and involvement in raising three boys

through Opal's perspective. Reading Opal's side of the story and Jacquie's, it is easier to

understand both perspectives and how the story connects while also obtaining new perspectives

on a life that we have not lived but, by the power of the narration, can understand.