Jacob Marzullo

IB English

12/3/23

Core Concept 1: Perspective in There There

In the novel, There There, the characters live unique lives while trying to understand their cultural

heritage. Overlapping narratives are used to create a single story about cultural roots. The story helps

readers understand the complexities of being Native American in modern times. The author uses common

themes of identity, heritage, and cultural trauma to show the reader how challenging it is to live as a

Native American. Through these stories, the reader learns that even though each character is Native

American, they do not have the same understanding of culture. The author also describes how Native

American teens struggle to participate in a culture they do not understand.

One of the characters who struggles with identity concerning heritage is a young Oakland resident

named Orvil Red-Feather. Orvil gives the reader a window into his world through his struggles learning

about Native American culture. Orvil has a tenuous relationship with his Native American culture

because he was raised in a family that prevented him from engaging with the community. Orvil’s mother

died of a drug overdose. He was raised by his grand aunt who has cultural trauma because she grew up in

poverty and knew it was dangerous to express her native heritage. She still worried that her ethnicity

would lead to discrimination and hate, so she did not openly practice Native American traditions. As

Orvil grows up, he feels a connection to native dance through videos of Powwows he finds on the

Internet. Orvil feels something for the Native American community that was kept away from him. His

story shows how some Native American teenagers struggle to participate in their own culture. Their lack

of understanding makes it difficult to bond with the culture even though it is an important part of their

identity.
 Orvil’s character represents a new generation of Native Americans who struggle with identity. In

the past, Native Americans all lived as part of a single community on indigenous land. This helped

individuals understand their history and culture. Elders would pass knowledge down to the next

generation which helped form a strong identity. Orange provides insight into the experience of teens who

are culturally estranged. When describing Orvil’s understanding of Native American knowledge, Orange

says, “And virtually everything Orvil learned about being Indian he learned virtually.” (Orange 121). In

Orvil’s generation, teens are forced to find innovative ways to understand their culture.

Orvil’s situation describes the not-so-uncommon experience of trying to create a connection to

culture through intermediary sources. Orvil’s character portrays a struggle with identity and the difficulty

of physically being a part of a community without having any friends or social connections. Orvil battles

with feelings of being “fake” or not truly Indian. The author says, “Finally, to an Urbandictionary.com

quote he’d never heard before Pretendian.” (Orange 121). When Orvil sees a group of Indians dancing in

a video, he becomes aware that something is missing in his own life. He decides to participate in the

Powwow without his grandmother’s knowledge because it feels like the right thing for him. When you are

looking for ways to learn about your culture, even small experiences feel rewarding. There is a desire to

connect with a community that you do not belong to. This feeling of estrangement also becomes a part of

you and contributes to your sense of identity, a common theme addressed throughout the novel.

Orvil’s character portrays a struggle with identity and the difficulty of physically being a part of a

community without a social connection. Orvil battles with the feeling of being “fake” or not truly Indian

“Finally, to an Urbandictionary.com quote he’d never heard before: Pretendian.” (Orange 121). As a teen

who struggles to find a connection to his cultural roots, Orvil has to forge his own path. Orvil’s struggle

with identity touches on Native identity and connectivity, another theme in the book. Utilizing these

different perspectives, Orange allows us to view the perspective of Native American teens who struggle

with cultural identity.