There, There by Tommy Orange by McKenna Wegner

2025-03-18 21:06:44 UTC

After reading the prologue of “There, There”, I realized there were some historical events I wasn’t fully aware of before. One that stood out to me was the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 and the forced removal of Native American/Indigenous people. The way Orange describes these events made them feel more real and personal, rather than just facts in a history book. What really stuck with me was how brutally Native people were treated and how these events still impact Native communities today. It was difficult to read, but I think it’s important that these stories are told so more people understand the truth about our history.

Amy WhiteShield

2025-03-19 14:23:44 UTC

The historical event I was unfamiliar with was the Rolling Head, this was an old Cheyenne story. What stood out to me was that at the end of the story it says “Our heads are on flags, jerseys, and coins”. I never really thought about it that much until now, one thing that I could think of was the Washington Redskins who are now called the Washington Commanders. In 2020 many Native Americans felt very offended by the name. Another thing that stood out to me was that the Women on the Rolling Head story would roll around and seek revenge on people especially her husband who killed her.

By, Lanie Belle

2025-03-19 14:47:06 UTC

When reading the prologue There, There the historical events I was unfamiliar with was the first one Indian Head. To me it was the interesting to read about it. What stood out to me the most was the first written novel in California " The Life and Adventure of Joaquin Murieta". It stood out to me because to prove that they killed someone they had to put their head in a jar. And also took his friends hand and preserved it in a jar.

-TJ

2025-03-19 20:40:00 UTC

What stood out to me was the impact of historical trauma that these events continue to have on Native American communities. Orange powerfully conveys how these traumatic events have been passed down through generations and how they shape the lives of the characters in There There. The prologue doesn’t just recount history; it emphasizes the ongoing effects of that history on Native American identity and experience. This framework helped me understand the depth of the issues faced by Native communities in a more personal and humanizing way, especially through the lens of contemporary Native American lives.

Jasmine Lohnes

2025-03-20 17:41:00 UTC

Before reading the prologue of There, There, I was ignorant to the 1973 Wounded Knee occupation and how brutal the Sand Creek Massacre was. The descriptions of violence and dehumanization were vivid, and that they would be telling in describing the historical trauma that has happened to the native communities. Orange’s storytelling in these events makes the events feel immediate instead of distant history, something that’s lasting. His representation of people of resilience while suffering allowed me to better understand and come to terms with Native American struggles and the consequent impact of that continued history of injustice in present day.

Charles Agwa

2025-03-20 19:00:28 UTC

I wasn’t familiar with the Sand Creek Massacre before reading the prologue of There There. Orange describes how a peaceful camp of Cheyenne and Arapaho people was attacked by Colonel Chivington’s militia, resulting in the brutal slaughter of hundreds of Native people, including women and children. What stood out to me was the detail about the “rolling head”—a gruesome image of a decapitated head rolling down the hill, which highlighted the horrific violence and cruelty of the massacre. This description made the violence of colonization feel much more real and unsettling. Kaitleigh Brady

2025-03-21 04:33:18 UTC

Orange details several historical events in the prologue of There, There. The historical events that I was unfamiliar with before reading the prologue was the Indian Head Test Pattern. If one left their television on then they would hear a tone at 440 hertz then a picture of an Indian shows up surrounded by circles like a bullseye in the middle of the screen. The words would then say that it was just a test.

What stood out to me was the Thanksgiving dinner story. First story was the dinner took place because of the land deal that went through between the colonists and Massasoit, the chief of the Wampanoags. When in fact, the Thanksgiving dinner story was of the Colonists who surrounded and killed the Indians when they were gathered to dance. The next day the Colonists had a feast. Since then, the Colonists continued to do surprise attacks on Indian camps, killing many and afterwards they would celebrate for they got rid of many Indians. This feast turned out to be called Thanksgiving dinner. This was new to me as I never heard this story before. This is totally messed up if this is the true story of how the Thanksgiving dinner came to be.

EvAnn White Feather

2025-03-22 07:09:33 UTC

I’ve always seen images of the Indian head on television but never really understood its meaning. After reading about it in the prologue, I gained a deeper understanding, especially when Tommy connected it to the tragic history of europeans displaying ‘Indian’ heads in the streets as if it were something to be proud of. Many of the events Tommy discussed were things I grew up learning about, but it was still insightful to read about them again. I am looking forward to reading this book throughout the remaining weeks of our semester!

Belle

2025-03-22 19:13:02 UTC

What historical events were you unfamiliar with before reading the prologue? What stood out to you?

I was unfamiliar with the version of our Thanksgiving meal that we eat is because of a land deal. Or maybe I've heard it, but it was so long ago that I forgot the details of it. Just gut wrenching as you described to be aware of violence and graphic sense. Definitely wakes your senses up. The author Tommy Orange has a way of using his words to really stick an image in your mind I felt. Just sadness, how much was dealt out, evil. Pure evil. I'm interested to read more, great author already I can tell.

2025-03-22 21:14:27 UTC

What events were you unfamiliar with before reading the prologue? What stood out to you?

I was unaware of the drawing of the head of a headdressed, long- haired Indian depicted on the broad cast Tv after the shows ran out the " Indian Head test pattern". I had no idea that they celebrated the deaths of our people and the Massachusetts bay colony had that feast and the governor called it a day of thanksgiving. What stood out to be the most in this chapter was how he described the urbanity and compared and contrasted examples such as" We know the sound of the freeway better than we do the rivers, the howl of distant trains better than wolf howls, we know the smell of gas and freshly wet concreate and burned rubber better than we do the smell of cedar or sage or even frybread". Very powerful reading. I look forward to reading the next chapter.

Nicole McCarty

2025-03-23 17:16:44 UTC

If I'm going to be honest, I was unfamiliar with all the events listed by Orange. They all stand out to me but the one I will list is the Sand Creek Massacre. How many Cheyenne and Arapaho people were slaughtered, men, women, and children. This event stood out to me because despite their attempts to surrender, they were still slaughtered. I am grateful to be able to learn these lived experiences, to be able to dive deeper. However all of it is hard to take in, it is heartbreaking. -Phyllis Berg

2025-03-23 21:04:17 UTC

After reading the Prologue, I realized that I was unaware of where Thanksgiving came from. They don’t mention it, but I’m sure that’s what they’re talking about on page 4. It states, “that meal is why we still eat a meal together in November.” That stood out to me, and what stood out to me too was on page 10, when they said, “an apple is red on the outside and white on the inside” made me realize I’ve heard this said a lot to me growing up. Now I understand where it came from and why.

Jahreen Marti

2025-03-23 22:56:01 UTC

I knew a little bit about “The meal” and why we eat together in November what I didn’t know was the names of the native americans who actually sat at that meal with the Pilgrim’s. Two years later a similar meal happened and 200 Indians were poisoned to try and get rid of us. I wasn’t aware that Metacomet was in the first Indian War nor did I know he was beheaded so that shocked me the most. In 1637 there was a green corn dance and hundred of natives were massacred. They started calling it Thanksgiving.

When the story talks about making Indians “urban” I can relate to that now days. The city life is so different from rez life. Even the schools are harder for kids who come from reservations.

2025-03-23 23:22:54 UTC

There, There pgs 1-14

The first 14 pages of this novel were a pretty emotional read, as they discussed the violence and genocide we faced as people. The prologue does a fantastic job of highlighting the Racial Discrimination, violence, and history we had to endure. I talked a lot about the history of the Genocides and what they would do to our people; it put a big lump in my throat reading it through and talking about the many Massacres, such as the Sand Creek massacre. It was a challenging read, but a good prologue for the story.

2025-03-24 04:12:34 UTC

The historical event that I have heard of but never knew the extent of was The Sank Creek Massacre and Wounded Knee Occupation. What stood out to me the most was the amount of loss. The author has a descriptive way of describing the killings, it was very violent. It was truly emotional. At the same time his writing showcases the resilience of the Native Americans but giving understanding to the readers of what they endured. It was hard to read but I took away more from these events from the reading.

Arena Delorme

shotayaplentyhoops — 2025-03-24 04:37:27 UTC

Some events that stood out to me that I was unfamiliar with was the brief background of urban city Natives. The hardships they fought through to still be able to carryout ceremonies, preserving their culture at all costs is admiring.

2025-03-24 05:22:59 UTC

What historical events were you unfamiliar with before reading the prologue? What stood out to you?

Even though this was just a prologue, reading it made me excited to dive deeper into the book. Such powerful words and vivid mental images it generated. I had never heard about the Indian head that was telecasted. That was something new I learned that reminded me how much we were despised in the earlier years of the United States. Makes me proud that through everything we endured, we came out and continued to thrive. The thing that stood out to me most was the section about Urban Natives. Simply because it resonated with me. I grew up on a ranch in the boonies on the reservation but when I moved to the city for college, I got treated differently. I also experienced new things and learned a lot.

- Dakota Walking Hawk

2025-03-24 07:35:22 UTC

I believe that i was pretty familiar with all the events so far. All of these are incredibly sad but the one that stood out to me was the Sand Creek Massacre. Our people tried to surrender and make peace but were still killed. There were men, women, children, and elders.

This is unrelated but the pages we read broke my heart. It is so sad to hear the horrible things our ancestors went through.

It also makes me proud as a Native American knowing that even after all the things we went through we still came out the other side stronger.

Tracelyn Strand

2025-03-24 23:27:36 UTC

The historical events were pretty familiar with before reading the prologue. What stood out to me was how they would dismember and behead women, children, and elderly. Reading about this makes you realize how things are so much different than today, and how bad our ancestors lived through the hatred and racism. They went through some much traumatic events just for being native American.

Emilee Driver

2025-03-25 02:58:17 UTC

I was familiar with most of the historical events namely the Indian Relocation Act. This act was to as the author put it, to get rid of the Indian. This Act encouraged Native Americans to leave the reservations and into cities to live and work. Most of the time Native Americans could not adapt to this lifestyle. A generation or a few before, Native Americans lived as they pleased, with the land. It was a very hard for Native Americans to adapt to different time periods in America.

Derek Rojo

2025-03-25 19:18:59 UTC

The one event that stood put to me the most was the original meaning of thanksgiving knew a little about it but like most the information was watered down but reading the prologue was very insightful say the lease looking for the upcoming reads.

2025-03-26 02:37:27 UTC

I had knew about the Sand Creek massacre, but I did not know how horrible our people had to go through. This was a time where they did not care about the babies. The way how they cut the babies from the mother and crush their heads. I literally had a gut-twisting moment reading this. They did not care if it was an elder, young, middle human-being. They cared more of killing as many as they could.