There There

by Tommy Orange

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Student Question

Can you provide examples of character growth in There There by Tommy Orange?

Quick answer:

Examples of character growth in There There include Edwin's efforts to become more involved in community life and Orvil Red Feather, who enters a dance competition as a way of embracing his Indigenous heritage.

Expert Answers

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There are plenty of great examples of character growth in There There.

As a first example, let's look at Edwin Black. He has been living an isolated life, stymied by frustrations in his academic career, and spending far too much time on the internet. During the course of the story, he starts losing weight and makes a big effort to become more involved in his community, forging friendships along the way as he works on the powwow committee as an intern.

Edwin's half-sister, Blue, shows character growth by thinking about the abuse she suffered in her former marriage and reflecting on what she has achieved as a Native community organizer, despite the fact that she was, in many ways, brought up away from the Native community.

Another great example is Orvil Red Feather, who has always been discouraged from embracing what it means to be Native. Unable to accept this deprivation of his natural heritage, Orvil turns to the internet for help and decides to enter a dance competition that is to be held at the powwow.

The powwow itself gives Thomas Frank, a disgraced janitor who has been fired for drinking on the job, a chance to redeem himself. By joining the drum circle, his love of rhythm and music begin to restore his sense of purpose.

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