Introduction
The book There There by Tommy Orange focuses on twelve characters of Native American origin or their relationship with the community. Although it dedicates each chapter to a particular character, they all share commonalities in their experiences being American Indians. However, the given analysis will primarily focus on Tony Loneman’s travel to powwow. The train as a place symbolizes a typical life and experience of a person with a disability and Native Americans living in a predominantly white society, which only exhibits superficial interest in the group and sees it as an exhibition at a museum.
Place and Displacement
Before analyzing the selected character and setting, one needs to be aware of the significance of the place. The latter is an integral part of the setting, which “is a literary device that allows the writer of a narrative to establish the time, location, and environment in which it takes place” (“Setting” par. 1). In other words, a place represents a location filled with an important piece of information to enrich the storyline and its characters.
Journey of Life with an Unhidden Disability as Identity
Firstly, the character of Tony Loneman is a complex and intricate one troubled with both psychological and physical problems. He has fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) due to his mother’s excessive drinking during her pregnancy, which is marked on his face for others to see. The book states: “never for any other reason than that his face told you something bad happened to him—a car wreck you should but can’t look away from” (Orange 168). In other words, the condition is not something that can be hidden or masked. It is stated that “one of the most disabling potential outcomes of drinking during pregnancy is the risk of developing fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), the most severe and visibly identifiable form of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder” (Popova et al. 290). Tony’s disability is as visible as someone using a wheelchair, and the train showcases a short glimpse of how a person with the condition struggles with being the center of unwanted attention.
It should be noted that the character analysis in the setting begins with FAS before his Native American identity because its effect is more profound and impactful. The author writes that “he’s used to being stared at, but this is different” (Orange 168). The first half of the statement is critical because it reflects how his condition was the main reason for him becoming a target of social observation. However, when it comes to FAS, it is an essential part of his identity, and it is marked on his face. The condition can be used as an analogy for minority groups, who also cannot hide their ethnic or racial identities. The mere fact that he is being stared at the train symbolizes a life of unwanted attention, curiosity, judgment, and stereotyping by society. FAS places him in this position, which reflects the part of the identity that cannot be hidden.
Therefore, Tony and the train symbolize the core experience of life since the latter is a journey from birth to death. Some individuals journey to life with immense privilege, some remain invisible to society, some actively seek to be the center of attention, while others become visible without wanting to do so. The book states that “everyone has been staring at him his whole life” (Orange 168). In other words, FAS is Tony’s layer of identity that cannot be hidden, unlike his Native American identity, which he can hide behind his condition and clothing. FAS symbolizes what society perceives as abnormal and exclusionary, which can contextually translate to other factors. Since FAS is no choice and cannot be hidden, the same principle applies to many disabilities and racial identities in general. For example, an African American man will not be able to hide his race, which has implications for stereotyping. Similarly, many individuals with unique characteristics go through life being stared at and unaccepted, and the train represents their experience of being unique and different.
Journey of Life with A Hidden Identity
Secondly, the train and Tony symbolize the experience of minority groups, who have a choice to hide and reveal their true identities. The author writes that “he gets dressed at home and wears his regalia all the way there. He’s used to being stared at, but this is different” (Orange 168). The latter part is important because he is journeying on the train as a Native American. Although FAS is the most noticeable aspect of Tony’s face, his ethnic group is a core aspect of his identity. Getting dressed ethnically and wearing regalia is an act of embracing and respecting one’s own culture and community. Without the regalia and Native American clothing, Tony becomes simply a person with FAS because human identity is not a monolith but rather multiple layers of specific aspects. The train reflects the life of someone who chooses to fully express his or her true self.
The setting of the train and Tony demonstrates what a person with a concealable identity experience when he or she decides to embrace it. The book states that “the colors of a fire at night … image people love to think about. Indians around a fire. But this isn’t that. Tony is the fire and the dance and the night” (Orange 168). In other words, there is a strong conscious awareness of the marginalization through stereotyping experienced by Tony. A study highlights “the persistent marginalization of female composers … to lessen the impact of their gender, women employed the passing tactics of concealment and fabrication” (Bennett et al. 20). It is evident that some identities can be hidden from society to avoid unwanted attention, discrimination, and stereotyping. For example, a gay person might fear experiencing these social forces and remain ‘closeted.’ The train and its social connotations symbolize how social reaction manifests in one’s decision to embrace his or her identity without any concealment.
The Superficiality of Social Interest
It is important to note that the train represents a superficial engagement of the majority with minority groups. The author writes: “‘So you’re…a Native American?’ ‘We get off at the same exit,’ Tony says. ‘Coliseum. There’s a powwow. You should come.’ Tony walks to the door to look out the window. ‘I would, but…’” (Orange 168). The social exchange between an older white woman and Tony demonstrates how her interest is simply observational rather than focused on engagement. Such a perception is linked with negative stereotyping, psychological detriments to the discriminated individuals, and other undesirable effects (Davis-Delano et al. 613). Thus, she perceives Tony’s appearance, clothing, and regalia as a mascot without realizing the deep cultural context and history.
Moreover, society’s superficiality is symbolized by the train and the interaction taking place in it, where the minority groups are aware of this notion. Tony knows that “people don’t want any more than a little story they can bring back home with them … to talk about how they saw a real Native American boy” (Orange 169). There is a sense of awareness emanating from Tony since he knows that the older woman’s interest in him is not sincere or based on care. The majority group sees minorities, especially Native Americans, as exhibitions at a museum or remnants of the past and ancient history. As soon as a Native American decides to embrace his or her culture, such an individual becomes a cliché object linked to a package of stereotypes. There is no real interest in learning the rich and deep structure of the culture but rather a reactionary acknowledgment ranging from mere virtue signaling to open discrimination or hate.
Train and Unity of Human Life
However, despite the analytical tone being accusative, it is important to remember that the older white woman on the train represents a positive aspect of modern society trying its best to become inclusive. While other people stare at Tony with their silent thoughts, assumptions, and prejudices, the older lady engages with him. She approaches him to ask about the map, but “she knows the answer to this question. She would have already looked it up on her phone numerous times to be sure” (Orange 169). In other words, “she wants to see if the Indian speaks” (Orange 169). Despite her difference from Tony in regards to age, gender, race, and ethnicity, she shows some level of interest and acknowledgment of his cultural belonging. The role of public discourse around identity is vital since any aspect can be included and reshaped. In this sense, identities can be seen as ways of thinking that appear in specific social and historical contexts, which means they are determined only by a single individual. To analyze the phenomenon of identity, various approaches and typologies are used, which focus mainly on uniqueness and belonging. One should understand the difference between traditional societies and postmodern and how this affects the identity of the individual.
Train symbolizes how life imposes hardships on all people in the same manner, but it is people who make it even more challenging for some. For the most part, Tony’s experience of staring and superficial interaction on the train was the outcome of people traveling on public transport. However, the author writes that “Tony looks down and watches the tracks fly by” (Orange 169). The statement represents time running out for everyone on the train. The place shows the nature of human life, where everyone is affected by its hardships and limitations. Identities are formed as a result of a complex set of interactions and mutual influences of different factors. The latter includes historical, cultural, linguistic, and religious elements because it is a multi-level and fluid system. Conceptual approaches to the study of processes occurring in society, including the formation of identities, are most often distinguished depending on the type of society. Thus, in multicultural societies, it should not be assumed that identities are prescribed from the outside following culture because internal experience is as relevant as social context.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the selected place is the train, and the chosen character is Tony, where the public transport symbolizes the life experience of a person with both concealable and unhidden identity elements. The key lessons can be learned about marginalization, discrimination, prejudice, and superficial interest in someone expressing his or her identity. Firstly, FAS demonstrates that a part of identity, which cannot be hidden, attracts unwanted attention and staring, as shown during the travel on the train. Secondly, Tony’s ethnic identity reveals how society reacts to an individual choosing to embrace his or her ethnicity on top of FAS. Thirdly, the train illustrates the superficiality of the engagement of the majority with the minority groups. Fourthly, public transport additionally provides a unifying message on coming together despite drastic personal and group differences.
Works Cited
“Setting.”Literary Devices, 2022.
Bennett, Dawn, et al. “Hiding Gender: How Female Composers Manage Gender Identity.” Journal of Vocational Behavior, vol. 113, 2019, pp. 20-32.
Davis-Delano, Laurel R., et al. “The Psychosocial Effects of Native American Mascots: A Comprehensive Review of Empirical Research Findings.” Race Ethnicity and Education, vol. 23, no. 5, 2020, pp. 613-633.
Orange, Tommy. There There. Alfred A. Knopf, 2018.
Popova, Svetlana, et al. “Estimation of National, Regional, and Global Prevalence of Alcohol Use During Pregnancy and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” The Lancet: Global Health, vol. 5, no. 3, 2017, pp. 290-299.