I believe that all of the characters in the story are indirectly affected by settler colonialism and the history that is associated with it. There are specific parts of There There that demonstrate how one or more characters are impacted by settle colonialism. I didn't know that Native Americans didn't originally have last names. This is contradictory to the European Colonists' culture. The reason Native Americans have such basic last names (such as Tommy Orange) is because they were forced to assimilate into white European culture and colors were often the last names assigned to them. Another point in There There that I thought was relevant Opal's story. Opal and her sister Jacquie had to move around constantly with their mother, Vicky. This was because Opal and Jacquie were around during the time of the passage of the Indian Termination Act and the Indian Relocation Act. With these acts put into place, it made it difficult for Vicky to provide a stable home environment for her daughters. Another example of how settler colonialism has indirectly impacted the characters in the story is when Dene Oxendene wants to get the story of Calvin. Unfortunately, Calvin knows very little about his ancestral history because of all the efforts by the settlers to weaken the Native tribes. This means Calvin's ancestral history is essentially erased and the colonists were successful in forcing him to assimilate.
I am a Catholic, but I haven't gone to Church in many years. I wouldn't be able to tell you about anyone in the Bible! However, after some research, I notice many similarities between Isak in Pachinko and Isaac in the Bible. I chose to examine Isak's similarities to Isaac because I admire Isak for his refusal to conform to societal expectations. In the Old Testament of the Bible, Isaac is the only son of Abraham. Abraham nearly sacrificed his only son due to God's command. In Lee's Pachinko , Isak is not sacrificed against his will, but sacrifices himself for what he believes is right. He sacrifices his honor by marrying Sunja, a woman pregnant outside of wedlock. He also sacrifices himself for his religion when he chooses not to recant his Christian religion in favor of the dominant Shinto religion.
Hey James! I also didn't know that having last names was not part of Native Americans culture. I guess we are just so used to western culture that it's hard to even realize some things that we would consider the norm are unique to western culture. These are very interesting examples of settler colonialism that you have found.
ReplyDeleteHi James! I didn't think about how Opal, Jacquie, and Vicky were impacted by the Indian Termination Act and the Indian Relocation Act. I find it crazy how these acts perpetuated their unstable home situation. I wonder how many other families and people these acts impacted!
ReplyDeleteHey James! Names seem like they are such an important part of identity in There There. I remember that Opal talked about being made fun of for her long full name as a child. Since names have long been able to be sources of ridicule, I wonder if white colonists gave Native Americans 'basic' last names for that purpose?
ReplyDeleteHey James, thanks for sharing. I agree that settler colonialism impacts all of the stories, even if not obvious at first. The last names example is really interesting and definitely a good representation of this: a clear example of settler colonialism's impacts, but not necessarily obvious at first glance.
ReplyDeleteHey James, loved hearing your thoughts on this. You make a great connection to the whole notion of last names and connecting back to There There. I think Opal is a great figure to analyze in terms of this discourse around naming.
ReplyDeleteI also didn't know that Natives didn't originally have last names until reading the book. Another significant think is that the term "Indians" for them was made by Columbus who mistakenly thought he was in the East Indies. Even so, that name is still used today despite its controversial past.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your thoughts. One of the first things you said, that all the characters are indirectly affected, may be the key here. Every single facet of life as a modern day Native American, whether directly or indirectly, is affected by these policies and by settler colonialism in general.
ReplyDeleteI did not know the native peoples did not have last names either. That is a great example of how assimilation was pushed further. Not only was it pushed on land, it was also pushed through language.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post! I liked the connection you found between settler colonialism and the characters of Jacquie, Opal, and their mother. It is important to see these connections. Nothing exists in a vacuum, so seeing how older assimilation policy interacts with the characters in a modern setting is necessary to unpacking their conflict of identity and the current trauma they face.
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