There There by Tommy Orange Dialectical Journal #4

The presence of violence ultimately leads characters to find who they are. Orange has
established a platform of obstacles for characters throughout the novel. It’s only when all
characters are joined together at the highly anticipated powwow. Characters are able to find
what they have lost all along. Most importantly holes are not implying emptiness and loss but
rather fulfillment. Due to violence Tony was able to find internal peace. After Tony had many
open wounds he heard birds saying “There is a bird for every hole in him”(Orange 290). He may
have ended up with many holes in his bodies but those holes were symbolically there
throughout the novel. For instance his insecurities, masculinity, and anger were all holes within
him that were established in the beginning of the novel. It was only at the end as readers we
were able to physically see those holes become fulfilled. Tony died with the fulfillment of being
seen as someone more than the drome rather a Native American. Through the powwow Tony
was able to believe in something bigger than himself. Tony was put at ease and found internal
peace as he died.

Orange's reference to youth and childhood is a common reoccurrence used to contrast

characters' personas before and after encountering influences from outside environments. For
instance Opal was very panicked when Orvil was being operated on but as she got deeper into
her thoughts “She hears something coming from a place she thought she’d closed off forever a
long time ago” “The place she used to think and imagine from when she was too young to think
she shouldn’t”(Orange 285). Opal is relocating a sense of belief within herself. A type of thinking
she closed off the moment she stepped foot on the Alcatraz. Once Opal reached the isolated
island her mindset was altered with the belief she’d never believe the same again. This comes
to show how Opal's outside environment negatively affected her, stripping away any sense of
self affirmation and optimism. Hence why later on after she was able to relocate hope she said
“She has to believe she can believe''(Orange 285). In the end Opal was able to restore the faith
she lost when she was a little girl. Opal was able to stem a strong foundation within herself
finding the roots of hope. But most importantly Opal was able to reach a sense of reinvention
and strength.