We're Not from Here

Lan Mifune is the protagonist and point-of-view character of We’re Not From Here. Lan’s first-person narration brings the reader close to the story’s action, offering an “in the moment” experience of the discrimination Lan and the other humans face. Rodkey chose not to assign Lan pronouns, which makes Lan’s character universal. Lan’s experience could happen to anyone, and gender (or race, ethnicity, etc.) is not important compared to the greater challenges humans face throughout the novel.

Throughout the book, Lan’s parents reinforce the importance of coming across as peaceful and loveable, which Lan equates to being a human golden retriever. The analogy leads Naya to tell Lan to “be a really good doggie for the aliens” (29), something Lan clings to for most of the book. Lan is so focused on being cheerful and appearing nonviolent that they start to lose themself. This changes when Lan realizes that bringing out positive emotions in the Zhuri through comedy and art is the key to securing acceptance for the humans. Lan’s quick-witted narration spills over into the comedic actions they use to make the Zhuri laugh, which also lead to Lan and Ila’s imprisonment and the novel’s climactic sequence.