Prompt:
After reading up to the end of section 2, what are some powerful scenes about storytelling and how it relates to either native American identity or just identity in general so far in the novel? What scene(s) stood out to you and how do you think it relates to furthering the purpose of the novel. Some scenes can include the conversation between Dene and Calvin in Dene's chapter on pages 147 or even some sections of the Interlude.
Hey Monique! The two scenes you mentioned in the prompt are definitely good examples for this prompt. Another one I thought of was the way Opal hardly told Orvil any stories about his family or his heritage, which makes him feel like he is missing a part of his identity. This decision asks the question if whether painful stories are still worth telling, which I think can be applied to the narrative of Native peoples and white colonizers.
ReplyDeleteHi Monique! One interesting scene was towards the end of section 2 where Dene interviews Calvin. Calvin seemed to have little knowledge about his Native culture and history. Calvin sounded a bit apathetic about being Native, which might show that he doesn't claim to have a Native American identity. I think this scene in the book demonstrates how every Native person has their own identity and connection to Native history and culture. Not everyone has the same connection; Native Americans are not all the same. Everyone has their own stories and their own experiences with their culture and history.
ReplyDeleteHey Monique! One powerful scene that really stuck with me was Opal's refusal to tell Orvil about his ancestry. As a result, Orvil is upset with her because he believes that she is denying him his identity as a human being. Orvil not being able to learn his identity is hard him as he is a young person who is still putting the pieces together in his life as he tries to find a sense of purpose. This poses as interesting question as to whether it is better to whitewash the ugly past or acknowledge the past to try to reconcile and move forward.
ReplyDeleteHi Monique! Although this is not a scene in the actual story, the prologue always stands out to me. There is a very graphic description of what the settlers did when they arrived to conquer the Native Americans. There are also references to the first Thanksgiving dinner and the real history behind them. A detail that was very emphasized in the prologue was how mutilating and completely dehumanizing the Native American people was seen as a sort of celebration for them. These scenes inspired my prompt about the possible negative effects of the concept of resilience that Tommy Orange shows in "There There".
ReplyDeleteWhile this isn't a specific scene, the idea of Dene Oxendene offering indigenous people to just talk, no interviewer agenda or interrupting is a really respectable and interesting endeavor. In that way, he aims to preserve identity directly and share it out to the world.
ReplyDeleteOne story that I honestly don't have a great explanation for is Harvey's tale about being stranded in the desert and being saved by two tall white men who he then claims to be aliens. This story is then set against Opal's stories of her and Orvil's spider legs. Harvey's story, just like Opal's, is difficult for Jacquie to believe. I am very curious if anyone has any idea what the relevance of the actual content of this story is, aside from Jacquie finding it hard to hear a story that starts with drinking.
ReplyDeleteExcellent, original prompt, Monique, and great responses here! I like the mention of the Harvey episode, because it connects to the Veho/spider stories of the Cheyenne.
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