Week 9: Spiders

Spider legs are consistently mentioned in There, There. Less important than the literal meaning of the spider legs being found in Jacquie’s grandson's leg is what it means for the Indigenous people as they exist within modern society.  Jacquie’s thoughts on the spider, that its web is a “home and a trap” is important to understanding this symbol. She then compares the spider Veho to the white man, the people who stole her land and culture from her. The spider represents the struggle of Indigenous people, how their homeland has simultaneously become a trap for them because of the oppression they face. The spider legs, then, could represent her grandson’s maturity and how he is finally coming into understanding of the system in which he lives. Maybe they are spiders because they recognize that the web is a trap and try to maneuver through it. Jacquie also has a tattoo of spiderwebs on her feet. This could represent how she feels about the spiderweb dynamic that her home has. She knows she is trapped within the web, within the grasp of coping mechanisms like alcohol and constant attempts to elevate her people because of the history of oppression they share. But, the spider does have the capacity to create webs. What could this mean, for the Indigenous people? Is the power to tell stories the key to creating a new web? I still have yet to fully figure out the spider legs and their significance, but I am certain the answer will come with the rest of the novel.

     

Comments

  1. Critical Thinkers and WritersNovember 25, 2022 at 11:34 AM

    You are definitely onto something by connecting the spiderweb to storytelling! Those stories connect family and tribal members together by remembering the past and its connection to the present. I like your idea about Orvil and finding the legs in his leg as a moment of maturation.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Paulos HabtewoldNovember 28, 2022 at 7:00 PM

    Hi Jalen, I agree that the spider legs were a sign of his maturity as he grew older. I wonder what your thoughts are on Opal's spider legs leaving and coming back in the story.

    ReplyDelete

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