Microlecture #3

 I think settler colonialism is a thread that runs indirectly through the lives of all of the characters in There There. I think there are places throughout the novel where it is clear the oppression the characters have faced, and how it impacts them today. I think some of the larger ways are more inherently evident, but one of the details I found interesting was when Tommy Orange discussed Last Names.

He talked about how Native people did not originally have last names. But once the colonists came and settled and forced them to assimilated into their own culture, which involved last names. He talked about how they were often just assigned colors, which is why so many Native people have the last names Black, Brown, Green etc. And, perhaps most strikingly, why the author has the last name Orange.

I think this is a direct effect of settler colonialism, and while it may seem small, I think it shows a pattern that shows up all throughout the novel in different capacities.

Comments

  1. Monique Cov.November 18, 2022 at 7:35 AM

    Hey Cassi! I would have to agree with you, settler colonialism runs strongly throughout the background of these characters. That is an interesting connection that I hadn't yet made. I would definitely agree that these are direct affects of settler colonialism. It makes me wonder how exactly Native American perceived last names at the time. I wonder if they just saw them as just a longer sort of first name?

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  2. HeatherLNovember 18, 2022 at 3:33 PM

    Hey Cassi! I really enjoyed your connection between settler colonialism and last names. In Western culture, last names usually indicate a family line and personal history. When white colonists gave Natives last names, it's almost like they erased the personal history that Native people already had. I wonder if modern Native people, like Tommy Orange, have gotten used to their last names or wish they could abandon them.

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  3. Hilary LeNovember 19, 2022 at 3:12 PM

    Hi Cassi! I agree that settler colonialism heavily impacts the lives of the characters in There There. Before, I didn't think about how colonists assigned Native people with random last names. It's absolutely surprising how the colonists did not put much thought into their last names, because they likely did not care. It really goes to show how much the Native peoples were pushed, even with a minute detail like their names.

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  4. James MaddenNovember 19, 2022 at 8:18 PM

    Hey Cassi, I agree that settler colonialism has indirectly affected all of the characters in similar and distinguishable ways. It is interesting to understand how much the pressure to assimilate impacted the culture of these Natives. They were forced to give up their own culture in place of a largely White, European culture. Descendants of the Natives won't be able to trace back to their ancestors as a result.

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  5. Audrey SchroederNovember 20, 2022 at 10:47 AM

    Cassi, I agree that settler colonialism runs very deep and is underlying at all points in the text. Your example of last names is so perfect and I appreciate you sharing your thoughts about this!

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  6. Catalina DegnanNovember 20, 2022 at 7:59 PM

    Hey Cassi! I also reflected on Tommy Orange's commentary about last names. I don't know why, but that anecdote was impactful for my learning experience. I think it's a great example of settler colonialism as well.

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  7. Griffin JonesNovember 24, 2022 at 11:34 AM

    I think that's super interesting and the personal connection to Tommy Orange especially makes it more impactful. This reminds me of Metacomet and how colonists called him "King Phillip". The idea that people can just be renamed in order to assimilate them continued as immigrants came into Ellis Island and were renamed if their name was too hard or confusing for the worker there.

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    Replies
    1. Critical Thinkers and WritersNovember 26, 2022 at 1:28 PM

      That's a great connection to the re-naming process, Griffin--gives you a sense of how long this loss of self has been happening through the linguistic as well as other strategies of settler colonialism.

      Delete

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