I love how 'There There' works as a title because it’s so deceptively simple yet packed with meaning. It’s like a punch to the gut when you realize it’s not just a comforting phrase but a critique of how Native voices have been silenced. The book dives into the messy, beautiful lives of its characters, all connected by their Native heritage but each dealing with it in wildly different ways. The title feels like a nod to the shared pain and the small comforts they find, even when the world tells them to just get over it. It’s raw, real, and unforgettable.
The title 'There There' is a brilliant play on words that captures the essence of the novel's themes. At first glance, it seems like a comforting phrase, something you'd say to soothe someone in distress. But in Tommy Orange's hands, it becomes layered with irony and pain. The novel explores the lives of urban Native Americans, many of whom are grappling with identity, displacement, and the weight of historical trauma. The title reflects the hollow promises and empty reassurances they've been given throughout history—'there, there,' as if patting them on the head while ignoring their struggles.
The phrase also appears in Gertrude Stein's famous line about Oakland, where the novel is set: 'There is no there there.' Orange twists this to highlight how Native communities have been erased from urban landscapes, yet they persist and carve out their own spaces. The repetition in the title mirrors the cyclical nature of trauma and resilience in these characters' lives. It's a haunting reminder that while the past is always present, so too is the strength to endure and reclaim one's story.
2025-06-28 22:47:38
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My online boyfriend suddenly sent me a photo of his lunch—a steaming hot steak fresh off the grill.
[Praise me, baby! I'm being a good boy and eating my lunch!]
I was just about to send 'good boy' when my eyes darted downward, and I saw the conspicuous red letters on the edge of his plate.
Mike Tech.
What a coincidence—I worked at Mike Tech too…
My heart skipped a beat as I froze right then, my mind going blank.
But could it be?
My online boyfriend, whom I had met over a year ago… was right there beside me?
I grew up abroad. My mother feared I might marry a foreign man, so she arranged an engagement for me with a talented and handsome man in Flodon. She insisted that I return home to get engaged.
I came back and started shopping for an engagement dress at a luxury boutique. I selected an off-white strapless gown and decided to try it on.
Suddenly, a woman nearby glanced at the dress in my hand and told the saleswoman, “That’s a unique design. Let me try it.”
The saleswoman immediately yanked it out of my hands.
I protested indignantly, “Excuse me, I was here first. Don’t you understand the principle of ‘first come, first served’? Or do you just not care about common decency?”
The woman scoffed and retorted, “This dress costs $188,000. Do you really think a broke nobody like you can even afford it?
“I’m Lucas Goodwin’s sister in all but blood. He’s the chairman of Goodwin’s Group. In Flodon, the Goodwin family sets the rules.”
What a coincidence! Lucas Goodwin was my fiance!
I immediately called him and said, “Hey, your ‘sister in all but blood’ just stole my engagement dress. Do something about it.”
It was raining very heavily on the day my parents got divorced.
There are two copies of the agreements on the table. One declares that the signee will stay with Dad, who's a gambling addict and has already racked up a huge debt, in the old town.
The other declares that the signee will follow Mom, who will marry a rich businessman, and move to a coastal town.
In the previous life, my younger sister, Tamara Browning, kicked up a fuss because she wanted to stay with Mom. So, I packed up my luggage quietly and went with Dad.
Soon after, Dad quit gambling and received the compensation due to our house being demolished in a governmental project. Since then, he showered me with love and affection.
Meanwhile, Tamara wasn't allowed to even leave the house. On top of that, she was neglected by everyone, so she died from depression.
Now that we're given a second chance in life, Tamara snatches the cigarette out of Dad's fingers before hugging him, refusing to let him go at all.
"Tiana, my heart aches for Dad's situation. You should live a good life with Mom. I'll give that chance to you."
I deign to say anything at all. Instead, I just pick up the train ticket that'll take me to the coastal town.
But what Tamara doesn't know is the reason behind Dad's decision to quit gambling in the previous life. At that time, I had overexhausted myself from paying off his debt, and I began vomiting blood due to my brain cancer. I practically had to risk my life just to get him to quit gambling once and for all.
This isn't a love story, but almost a love story.
Irina and Eric share a world through dreams and time travel. They have a strong mutual understanding about the feelings they have for each other, at the same time understanding that they cannot be together.
Eric:
I open my eyes and find myself standing alone in an empty room. The ceilings and the walls are neatly painted white. And the floor is composed of polished light brown wood. And there is a dark brown framed window at one corner where the light comes from. A bright yellow and pale red orange light tells me the sun is setting and soon it will be dark.
Eric is a ghost who always appears in Irina's dream.
Irina:
I open the door to the bedroom. There is a dark brown framed window at one corner where the light is coming from. The yellow orange light passes through the open window. I see Eric standing right there on the spot captured by the yellow light. ‘You came back.’ I said. He stood there looking me in the eye. I almost died.
Irina is a time traveler who may or may not change his fate.
They alternatively tell a bitter sweet story.
Love doesn't always mean together, sometimes it is deeper apart.
Eric:
I stand alone in the rain looking at the dark sky where all I can see is water, for it is both the rain and my tears flowing to my face.
Irina:
And suddenly it is no longer my reflection I see inside the mirror. What I see now is a figure of a man. I draw closer to see him clearly. But the closer I walk towards him, the farther I become from him. I couldn't get close.
As a man, you never expected that the love of your life would be a man. Together you overcome your fears and take a boat trip. But then things go horribly wrong. What is destiny, and can you change it through time travel?
A lost soul summoned to relive the body of a dying woman finds herself in a quest of unraveling the secrets of her true identity. But what if she finds out that she is only existent in someone else's mind? Retrace the path you've taken. Don't let your mind betray you. Decipher the mystery. This is the life after death story of Lenore.
I remember digging into 'There There' by Tommy Orange and being blown away by how much recognition it got. The novel snagged the PEN/Hemingway Award, which is a huge deal because it honors debut fiction that shows exceptional promise. It was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction, putting it in the same league as some of the most impactful books out there. The National Book Critics Circle Award shortlisted it too, highlighting how critics praised its raw, poetic take on urban Native American life.
What makes these awards special is how they reflect the book’s cultural significance. 'There There' doesn’t just tell a story; it reshapes how people see modern Indigenous experiences. The American Book Award recognized this, honoring its unflinching narrative style and its ability to weave multiple voices into a cohesive, powerful whole. It’s rare for a debut to get this level of acclaim, but Orange’s work earned every bit of it by tackling identity, displacement, and resilience in a way that feels both personal and universal.
I can confirm there's no movie adaptation yet. Tommy Orange's novel is a masterpiece of contemporary Native American literature, packed with raw emotion and interconnected stories that would make for an incredible film. The book's fragmented narrative style—jumping between multiple characters in Oakland—could translate beautifully to the screen through creative directing. Hollywood has been adapting more diverse voices lately, like 'There There' could be next. The novel's themes of urban Native identity, generational trauma, and cultural displacement would resonate powerfully in visual form. I'd love to see how filmmakers would handle the book's intense climax at the Oakland Powwow. Until then, we'll have to settle for rereading this groundbreaking work.
Interestingly, the novel's title comes from a Radiohead song and a Gertrude Stein quote about Oakland—both elements that could inspire amazing cinematic motifs. The characters like Dene Oxendine and Opal Viola Victoria Bear Shield have such vivid voices that actors would kill to play them. While waiting for any adaptation news, I recommend checking out similar films like 'Smoke Signals' or 'The Business of Fancydancing' that explore Native American experiences with equal honesty.