Yu 1

Wilson Wallace

EN-65

Dr. Martinez

13 September 2023

Internal and External Storytelling in There There

Tommy Orange’s There There stresses the importance of storytelling in defining the

Indian identity, with some characters hoping to overturn skewed outside preconceptions and

others seeking to better understand themselves. Opal’s mother explains that “the monster that

was the machine that was the government had no intention of slowing itself down for long

enough to truly look back to see what happened. To make it right. And so what we could do had

everything to do with being able to understand where we came from, what happened to our

people, and how to honor them by living right, by telling our stories” (57). Contradicting the

single source of truth set by an oppressive society is important in fighting to change how Indians

are perceived. However, providing an alternative not only serves to educate non-Indians but

could also prove valuable to Indians in contextualizing their own identities. Many characters in

There There attempt to follow what they believe feels or looks Indian: Orvil notes the dancers at

the Powwow “all needed to dress up to look Indian too” (232). As appearances play such an

important role in defining what it means to be Indian, it is further vital to base those appearances

on accurate stories. In turn, with the addition of the lived experiences of Urban Indians to the

ever-changing narrative, the inside lens and outside lens become deeply intertwined.
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Works Cited

Orange, Tommy. There There. Vintage, 2019.