Instructions & General Reactions

Each entry, including this one, asks a different question. The minimum expectation is that you provide at least one comment for each question on the site before we return to school. Of course, my hope is that you do more than that, but that is the official, minimum expectation. (Meeting the minimum expectation ensures a grade of at least a C on this assignment).

 For this entry, I'd just like to hear your initial reactions. You don't have to go into great depth. Just let me know what you think, in general.

 If you have questions, feel free to post them here, too.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Katy Pedersen: My initial reaction to the novel was that it was an intriguing read. I enjoyed learning about the different backgrounds of each character and reading how their lives eventually intertwined with one another. I also enjoyed how modern the text was, for example how Daniel Gonzales was using a drone to watch the powwow. Furthermore, Orange's writing made it easy to connect with characters and this in turn made the ending of the novel emotional. Overall it was a great, quick read. A question I have is, does this novel hinder or help the image of the Urban Native American?
August 17, 2019 at 9:25 AM
Anonymous said…
When I first heard we were reading a contemporary novel, I was excited; while older novels have their charm, contemporary novels like There, There just draw me in more as they take place in a world I can better understand. The story, while not one I can directly relate to, has many relatable elements, such as the motif of community, which made it entertaining to read. It also appealed to me as it had a large ensemble of characters with varying viewpoints. The rotation of the character’s points of views allowed the story to be seen through different lenses as each character had a different path leading them to the powwow. The different points of view also created suspense, as readers had to wait multiple chapters for a character’s storyline to return. The differences between the characters make the story interesting while their similarities keep the story cohesive. Reading as the character’s lives slowly intertwine with each other keep the story interesting as you slowly put the pieces together and realize how they were all connected, even before the powwow.

Marisa Helff
August 18, 2019 at 3:20 PM
Anonymous said…
When I first read the summary of the book, I thought it was going to be an interesting and informative novel because it covers issues that are not commonly talked about. I enjoyed the novel because it was a nice change of pace from the typical books assigned in school for required reading. Overall, the book was a fairly easy read. The abundance of characters made the story difficult to follow at times, so I had to make a two-page long character list that explained how everyone connected. In addition, the multiple storylines happening at once made it hard to follow at times if I had not read the book in a while. When a character's chapter would finish, sometimes, it would take a while for their story to pick up and I would forget what was happening in their storyline and have to go back. For this reason, I needed to make a note at the end of each chapter that gave a summary of what happened. I did enjoy the novel's quick pace and complex plot, however, I was highly disappointed with the ending. The main action of the novel did not happen until the final moments of the story, and for this reason, it left a lot of plotholes and unanswered questions. After building a connection with the characters for 200 pages, it left the reader making inferences about the ending of their stories. Because of this, a question I have is: Are the character's unfinished stories in the novel a nod to how the true stories of the first Native Americans were never told?

Carlie McIntyre
August 19, 2019 at 1:33 PM
Anonymous said…
Personally, I really enjoyed reading this novel. Compared to other books I have read in the past, this book was quite easy to read and it didn't take too long. I also found it pretty cool that Tommy Orange used his life and his inheritance to develop a story. Furthermore, I loved the fact that there were multiple perspectives. By writing the book with multiple points of views, Tommy Orange helped the readers better understand what was going on. It showed that not one person, but everyone had their own reasons to go to the Big Oakland powwow, and their reasons were quite similar and connected. This helped enlighten the fact that the powwow was a big deal to many. I also enjoyed that the book was written with a modern touch to it. Personally, I don't like older books as they are usually harder to read and harder to connect with. Overall, I believe this novel is a great read.

Krish Patel
August 20, 2019 at 2:39 PM
Anonymous said…
Hi Carlie,
As much as I enjoyed the book, I agree that the ending of the novel was rushed and left me feeling incomplete. I was reading news articles about There There and the site, nativenewsonline.net mentioned how Tommy Orange was working on a sequel to the novel because like us, many other readers wanted to know more. The article was posted on September 29, 2018, and I have not looked into the issue further and currently I am unaware of how accurate this information is. If I find anything else out, I'll be sure to post it here. On a different note, I like your question of how the 'incomplete' novel could be a nod to the untold stories of Native Americans. I found it very insightful and a question worth pondering.

Katy Pedersen
August 21, 2019 at 8:13 AM
Erika Roof said…
When I first read the summary of this novel, I was intrigued because of how much it differs from our usual assigned readings. I also thought that the plot might be hard to follow with so many different main characters. When I first started reading the book, I had to flip back and forth between the cast of characters given in the beginning of the book and the novel itself. As I continued reading, I was fascinated by each character’s story and how they intertwine in more ways than one. I also appreciated how much information Tommy Orange included for each character while still making the novel feel like a quick read. It was hard for me to put the book down because after finishing a chapter on one of the characters, I was eager to read what happens next with that character. I admired the way that Orange’s writing makes the reader bond with each character, making the ending even more devastating.
August 21, 2019 at 12:34 PM
Anonymous said…
When I first heard of the book assigned for this class, I was very interested and excited to read it. It focused on topics that are not usually discussed and very different from the books I have read in the past. The book was overall an easy read and did not take too long to read it. It had a few confusing parts, like the multiple story lines and many characters. But, Tommy Orange gave a lot of details about each character, which made it easier to connect them in the story. It was cool to read how different their lives were, but eventually all connected. Even though it was confusing at some parts, the multiple perspectives helped me understand the story better. Because this is an older topic, I loved how Orange used a modern way to write this book because it helps the reader connect with it better. However, I was a little confused about the ending and why everything basically happened within the last few pages. It left the readers wondering about the characters and how their stories ended. I’d love for him to publish another book finishing the stories of the characters. Overall, this was a great read and a book I would recommend to everyone.

Amanda Teodoro
August 23, 2019 at 3:06 PM
Anonymous said…
Hi Krish,
I really liked your response to this question because it made me think of the characters and the multiple perspectives in a different way. I usually don’t like to read books that have multiple points of view because it is hard for me to read, but it showed me that the author did this so we understood what was happening and why the powwow was so important to them. I also agree that older books are harder to connect with, but because of the modern touch it made it easier and enjoyable.

Amanda Teodoro
August 23, 2019 at 3:20 PM
Unknown said…
Initially, I did not think that this book was going to be something I would particularly enjoy reading. I read the summary and reviews of the book that Tommy Orange provided on both the back and inside cover and I already felt bombarded with characters that I wasn't too sure I would be able to follow along with when I began reading. I put off the book until about mid July and began with the prologue. I was pleasantly surprised when I began reading the anecdotes that Orange had strategically pieced together in just the first eight pages of the novel. The story itself hadn't actually started, but I was already able to feel a connection to the characters even though I would never be able to truly understand the depth of these cultural experiences. As I continued reading the novel, I was impressed with how quickly Orange was able to create such individual characters while also connecting them with more than just their cultural background.
August 24, 2019 at 10:28 AM
Emily Olsen said…
I would also have to agree with what most everyone has said, and say that the fourth and final part of the book did feel a bit rushed. So much character development had gone into the first three parts and like Amanda said I would love for Orange to publish another book to tie off the loose ends of each character's story.
I also had one question regarding Orange's intentions behind the inclusion of the spider/ spider leg symbol. While reading it was hard for me to determine if the experiences Orvil and Opal had pulling spider legs out of a lump of their leg, was meant to be more literal, or a suspension of disbelief.
August 24, 2019 at 10:37 AM
Anonymous said…
I was excited to start reading when I first bought the book. I had seen in the summary that it would be following characters from Native communities, and I was intrigued, because the experiences of Native Americans are not often written about or explored. But as I began to read on my ride home from Barnes and Noble, I saw something intimidating: a long list of names. In a panic, I counted, and realized that Tommy Orange had created twelve different characters. I was worried I wouldn't be able to keep up with all of them. Luckily, it only took about ten minutes of reading for me to realize that I had nothing to worry about. Orange made each character unique enough to be remembered, even with the book's changing perspectives. He also managed to make each character relatable. Since there are so many, I expected the characters to feel very shallow and surface-level. But I instead found them all to be complicated in the way that real humans are complicated. This allowed me to feel more connected to them. The closeness that I felt with each character kept me engaged throughout the reading.

Stephanie Sudusky
August 24, 2019 at 7:56 PM
Jenna Gall said…
Much like everyone else whose comments I have read, I genuinely enjoyed reading this book. I love learning about different cultures and Orange's writing allowed me to practically experience the Native culture of this book. I was worried at first because the Prologue was hard to get through and I was concerned that the rest of the book would be like that. However, the book was much easier to read once the characters were being introduced. The depth of each character also peaked my interest because they all have different backgrounds and stories. Each character has a unique relationship with their ancestry and what it means to them. That really is one of my favorite parts about this novel. Orange took a concept which most outsiders would believe be simple and uniform, and he showed the true complexity of how can Natives feel about their identity.
August 26, 2019 at 6:51 AM
Vinny D'Aria said…
This book was a very interesting read in general, and it had to do with how Tommy Orange formatted the story to us. It reminds me of a novel I read back in sixth-grade called Seedfolks. Like Seedfolks, There There constantly flipped back and forth between characters who were all participating in one common goal. In Seedfolks, each of the character's own views and perspectives were about planting in a particular community garden, and in There There, all of the characters came from different situations and all came together at a Powwow. This format led to me to believe early on that all of the characters would eventually come together, especially being Native Americans having connections to Oakland. This format was essential in separating the different perspectives and character traits that all of the characters had, and I believe it made the overall plot that much more interesting to read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book; the plot was unique and kept having me read on to find out more. This is definitely a must-read for any high school student.
August 26, 2019 at 8:38 AM
Unknown said…
Just as everyone has previously said, I too enjoyed this novel. At first I thought that it would be difficult keeping up with the countless character changes from chapter to chapter, but this ended up being my favorite part of the novel. I enjoyed getting to see each character's perspective in the novel and how they all fit into the puzzle of the story line. It was so fascinating getting to see how everyone's' lives all lead them to the same place at the end of the story. All of the characters had a different story and background but somehow in the end all of them were bound together somehow as they met at the powwow. This not only connected their stories but also connect their culture. The author did an amazing job thoughtfully planning each character's importance and role. It was so fun getting to read the story while all of the little hints and pieces fell into place. I was shocked at how much I truly enjoyed this novel.
August 26, 2019 at 11:46 AM
Unknown said…
Emily,
You mentioned that you and others felt that the last section was a bit rushed, but I feel as if this might have been done purposefully. At the end of the story, everything was chaotic. Nobody knew what was going on at the powwow while the gunshots were going off. I feel like the author made everyone's sections brief to resemble how the characters didn't have time to think in those moments. It made the story seem more real and connected the reader to it more because we could feel the panic in their words. Their lives were in jeopardy and the the quick sections created that fear that they were experiencing. Although I agree that the end was quick and almost rushed, I felt like it made it feel more real.

Ava Galdenzi
August 26, 2019 at 12:00 PM
Avonlea LeBeau said…
At first, I dreaded reading the book because I did not think the particular topic would interest me. However, after hearing everyone's positive comments about this novel, I began to read. I was able to finish this book in two days because I never wanted to put it down. Each part of the book was interesting, more so at the end during the powwow. I enjoyed seeing how each of the characters' lives became intertwined with all the other characters over the course of the novel, and seeing the characters develop as the story continued. Furthermore, I enjoyed how this book is modern, involving videogames, VR goggles and drones. This allows us as readers to connect more with the story, and to each of the characters. Many people have commented this already, but I do agree that the ending of the book felt rushed, leaving us wondering what happened to many of the characters and their families. I agree with what Ava said, about how this was most likely done with a purpose of creating a sense of chaos and showing that each character was fighting against time as the shots were going off. Although this did create a more real situation for the reader, I am still left wondering what happened to characters like Blue, Opal, Jacquie and Harvey at the end of all the chaos.

Avonlea LeBeau
August 26, 2019 at 5:57 PM
Avonlea LeBeau said…
Stephanie,
I agree with your comment about becoming nervous with the amount of characters in this book. I feared that I was going to be bombarded with twelve characters all at once, unable to remember who was who, and who did what. However, after I began to read for only a few minutes like you said, I discovered that each of the characters was unique, had their own history, had their own story. I've read several books in the past with chapters from each characters' perspective, all of which I have enjoyed very much. I believe the changing points of view in this book helped me enjoy it even more. It allows the reader to know and feel what each character thinks and feels, and makes it much more emotional when you "experience" all of their struggles first hand, rather than hearing it from an outsider's perspective. The large amount of characters made the novel more interesting to follow, and made the plot more unique and intriguing.

Avonlea LeBeau
August 26, 2019 at 6:06 PM
Avonlea LeBeau said…
Stephanie,
I agree with your comment about becoming nervous with the amount of characters in this book. I feared that I was going to be bombarded with twelve characters all at once, unable to remember who was who, and who did what. However, after I began to read for only a few minutes like you said, I discovered that each of the characters was unique, had their own history, had their own story. I've read several books in the past with chapters from each characters' perspective, all of which I have enjoyed very much. I believe the changing points of view in this book helped me enjoy it even more. It allows the reader to know and feel what each character thinks and feels, and makes it much more emotional when you "experience" all of their struggles first hand, rather than hearing it from an outsider's perspective. The large amount of characters made the novel more interesting to follow, and made the plot more unique and intriguing.

Avonlea LeBeau
August 26, 2019 at 6:07 PM
Anonymous said…
Ava,
As Avonlea mentioned, I enjoyed your reasoning behind why the ending was rushed. I agree with you that it was purposeful and a way to connect with readers. Previously to that section, Orange had written pages and pages detailing the lives of many characters. As readers, we know what he is capable of writing and the last section isn't him being 'lazy', but as you said, another way to draw readers in.

Katy Pedersen
August 27, 2019 at 7:49 AM
Unknown said…
Hi Avonlea, I agree with you about the ending leaving me wondering. I too wasn't sure what happened to some of the characters. I wasn't sure who died or who was just injured. The way Orange left it off was confusing, but I also feel purposeful. Maybe he wanted to leave it up to the reader for how they interpreted the ending. Was the powwow really a massacre or was it a near miss of that?

Ava Galdenzi
August 27, 2019 at 10:38 AM
Vinny D'Aria said…
Ava,

I agree with you that the ending was a bit confusing. The way I interpreted it was based on the symbols that Orange left behind, especially with birds. In the last couple of pages, Orange described how beautiful the bird chirping was at the same time Tony Loneman was dying, slowly letting go from life. This led me to believe that Tony did in fact die, and when he did, it was a positive release for his struggles in life. Basically, Tony didn't mind dying at that point. I agree that 'who was shooting who and why' was a bit confusing, but at least these last few pages have a definitive ending, at least to me.
August 27, 2019 at 4:58 PM
Annika Pearson said…
I was excited when I first heard about this summer reading assignment because I feel like the books we usually read in school are very old classics, so it’s nice to get to read more modern literature. I enjoyed reading the book because it gave me more insight into what Native American culture is like. This is a new subject for me so learning about the struggles of Native Americans both today and in the past was interesting. The setup of the book by separating each chapter with a different character was particularly helpful in learning about Native American lifestyle. Readers got to see what each character’s day-to-day lifestyle was like through their own perspective. I felt that each character had a completely different story to share and readers truly got to know each one of them. Overall, I enjoyed this book and feel that it expanded my knowledge about the world.
August 27, 2019 at 7:18 PM
Annika Pearson said…
Hi Marisa,
I agree with you that I appreciate contemporary novels more than older ones. I feel that they are more relevant and relatable to my life today. Regarding the characters, I also liked how getting to know a lot of characters expanded my understanding. I think your comment about building suspense through the breaks in each character’s story was particularly interesting, and I’m wondering if the author did that on purpose. In addition, I liked how each character’s story intertwined as well, and we got to see how each one fit into the community.
August 27, 2019 at 7:25 PM
Anonymous said…
My initial reaction to the novel was confusion. As Tony Loneman begins the book by talking about “the drome”, I was confused as to what be was referring to. Of course, I understood as the chapter went on what he was talking about. over the course of the novel, I became more invested into the characters even when I didn’t approve of their decisions - specifically Jacquie - however, my dislike for some of the characters made the book all the more interesting. Moreover, I enjoyed the individuality of each character. Every story was unique in its own way, yet all the stories intertwined. Each character was connected to another even if the similarity was small. For instance, I found the connection of addiction between characters to be interesting as well. I also found that every character was relatable in their own way. Characters like Tony and Orvil - who struggled with self identity - were two characters who I personally related to. I feel that many people - especially teenagers - feel as though they don’t know who they are or will hide behind a facade like Tony.

Izabella Mott
August 27, 2019 at 7:47 PM
Anonymous said…
My initial reaction to the novel was confusion. As Tony Loneman begins the book by talking about “the drome”, I was confused as to what be was referring to. Of course, I understood as the chapter went on what he was talking about. over the course of the novel, I became more invested into the characters even when I didn’t approve of their decisions - specifically Jacquie - however, my dislike for some of the characters made the book all the more interesting. Moreover, I enjoyed the individuality of each character. Every story was unique in its own way, yet all the stories intertwined. Each character was connected to another even if the similarity was small. For instance, I found the connection of addiction between characters to be interesting as well. I also found that every character was relatable in their own way. Characters like Tony and Orvil - who struggled with self identity - were two characters who I personally related to. I feel that many people - especially teenagers - feel as though they don’t know who they are or will hide behind a facade like Tony.

Izabella Mott
August 27, 2019 at 7:49 PM
Anonymous said…
My initial reaction to the novel was confusion. As Tony Loneman begins the book by talking about “the drome”, I was confused as to what be was referring to. Of course, I understood as the chapter went on what he was talking about. over the course of the novel, I became more invested into the characters even when I didn’t approve of their decisions - specifically Jacquie - however, my dislike for some of the characters made the book all the more interesting. Moreover, I enjoyed the individuality of each character. Every story was unique in its own way, yet all the stories intertwined. Each character was connected to another even if the similarity was small. For instance, I found the connection of addiction between characters to be interesting as well. I also found that every character was relatable in their own way. Characters like Tony and Orvil - who struggled with self identity - were two characters who I personally related to. I feel that many people - especially teenagers - feel as though they don’t know who they are or will hide behind a facade like Tony.

Izabella Mott
August 27, 2019 at 7:50 PM
Unknown said…
My initial reaction to the novel was confusion. As Tony Loneman begins the book by talking about “the drome”, I was confused as to what be was referring to. Of course, I understood as the chapter went on what he was talking about. over the course of the novel, I became more invested into the characters even when I didn’t approve of their decisions - specifically Jacquie - however, my dislike for some of the characters made the book all the more interesting. Moreover, I enjoyed the individuality of each character. Every story was unique in its own way, yet all the stories intertwined. Each character was connected to another even if the similarity was small. For instance, I found the connection of addiction between characters to be interesting as well. I also found that every character was relatable in their own way. Characters like Tony and Orvil - who struggled with self identity - were two characters who I personally related to. I feel that many people - especially teenagers - feel as though they don’t know who they are or will hide behind a facade like Tony.

Izabella Mott
August 27, 2019 at 8:16 PM
Unknown said…
My initial reaction to the novel was confusion. As Tony Loneman begins the book by talking about “the drome”, I was confused as to what be was referring to. Of course, I understood as the chapter went on what he was talking about. over the course of the novel, I became more invested into the characters even when I didn’t approve of their decisions - specifically Jacquie - however, my dislike for some of the characters made the book all the more interesting. Moreover, I enjoyed the individuality of each character. Every story was unique in its own way, yet all the stories intertwined. Each character was connected to another even if the similarity was small. For instance, I found the connection of addiction between characters to be interesting as well. I also found that every character was relatable in their own way. Characters like Tony and Orvil - who struggled with self identity - were two characters who I personally related to. I feel that many people - especially teenagers - feel as though they don’t know who they are or will hide behind a facade like Tony.

Izabella Mott
August 27, 2019 at 8:17 PM
Anonymous said…
Similar to the other comments, I had been excited to read a modern book that is more relatable than some of the other stories we have read in the past. While starting the novel I believed the language was vulgar and the diction was out of place. However, as I continued reading it seemed to add to the character's unique personalitites. The modern take on the langauge and diction eventually intrigued me. I especially enjoyed the addition of the Native American culture throughout the novel since I had not had much background or prior knowlege on the specific culture. The real issues shown through characters, such as Calvin's disposition as he betrays those he should stand with,helps Orange characterize as well as present real issues throughout the novel. I also appreciated how Orange alluded to the title of the novel with Dene's music choice of Radiohead's song "There There" and also when Dene is speaking to Rob while describing Oakland:"There is no there there" (38). Overall, I appreciated the novel and the aspects Tommy Orange incorporated.
Jetta Powers
August 28, 2019 at 8:48 AM
Anonymous said…
Similar to the other comments, I had been excited to read a modern book that is more relatable than some of the other stories we have read in the past. While starting the novel I believed the language was vulgar and the diction was out of place. However, as I continued reading it seemed to add to the character's unique personalitites. The modern take on the langauge and diction eventually intrigued me. I especially enjoyed the addition of the Native American culture throughout the novel since I had not had much background or prior knowlege on the specific culture. The real issues shown through characters, such as Calvin's disposition as he betrays those he should stand with,helps Orange characterize as well as present real issues throughout the novel. I also appreciated how Orange alluded to the title of the novel with Dene's music choice of Radiohead's song "There There" and also when Dene is speaking to Rob while describing Oakland:"There is no there there" (38). Overall, I appreciated the novel and the aspects Tommy Orange incorporated.

Jetta Powers
August 28, 2019 at 8:50 AM
Anonymous said…
Hi Izzy,
I agree with your confusion at the start of the novel. I was also confused on the characters and the conversations between them. As the novel went on it was easier to identify the connections and as you said, they became interesting and relatable. I find a modern novel like There, There to be an ideal type for teens. The diction tended to appeal to how we speak- more or less. I did find to have the same reaction to disliking some characters because of how Orange potrayed them. However, I believe this could have been intentional to pull the reader in.

Jetta Powers
August 28, 2019 at 8:55 AM
Unknown said…
Calley Marcarelli
When I first began to read this novel in the beginning of July, I was on a trip to Washington D.C. Over the course of my trip, I had the opportunity to go and see the Native American Museum portion of the Smithsonian. Ever since I was little, I always had such an interest in the history of Native Americans and the horrors that they had to endure after being ripped away from their homes. As soon as I began to read the novel, the narrator begins to tell the history of the Native Americans and how they were ravaged, brutalized, and assaulted- because they were viewed as less than human and “undeserving” of the land that they had lived off of many before the Europeans settled. During this time, an entire generation was nearly wiped out, traditions were broken, and families and tribes were destroyed. The prologue to this novel alone allowed the readers to understand why and how each character developed the way that they did. It can easily be seen that each character struggles with some form of addiction or shame- or even fear of showing their Native roots in fear of how others may view them. When the Native Americans were taken from their tribal lands in the late 1880’s, children and young teenagers were taken to facilities or schools in which they would be “Americanized” and shamed for who they were and what they practiced as a way of life- so much so that they were afraid to be who they were. For example, in the Native American culture, young boys would grow out their hair long as a symbol of good fortune and health. Having long, braided hair as a young boy was something that was prized among Native Americans, however- these young boys had their hair cut off as a form of punishment and ridicule. While on my trip, I was able to learn about the reservations that the Native Americans were forced to live on after they were taken away from their homes. Because these people did not have access to plumbing or clean water, many of them turned to alcohol as a means to escape these horrible conditions. I found this book to moving and powerful because it allowed me to see that after a person is exposed to such shame and hardship, it can change them and set their life on a path that is detrimental to their well being. Because the ancestors of the characters were shamed for being who they were, they felt as though they had to shelter their future children from Native American traditions and values. This book allowed me to see that in certain cases of trauma or oppression, resiliency can be quite difficult for some. This book also showed me that because of the hardships of the past, it can negatively impact the development of the future.
August 29, 2019 at 12:53 AM
Unknown said…
Hello Carlie!
Although I enjoyed this novel, I myself found it confusing at times figuring out how each character was related to one another. I often found that I would have to sit down and write out how each character meets and crosses paths- just like you :) I also found myself struggling at times when I had moved from chapter to chapter and had to pick up different story lines of different characters. I found myself writing notes for each character to remind myself of where they were in their journey.

Calley Marcarelli
August 29, 2019 at 12:53 AM
Unknown said…
Hey Katy!
I feel the same exact way about the ending. I felt as though I was left unsatisfied with how the author chose to leave it off. Similar to what Charlie said, this may be a nod to how the Native Americans were left unsure what to do after they faced such hardship and violence when they were taken from their homes. They were left with their lives in broken pieces and had to figure out how to put them back together by themselves- much like we must do as readers.

Calley Marcarelli

August 29, 2019 at 12:53 AM
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