You're welcome to choose your own topic for your response paper on Love Medicine, but here are some ideas to consider if you're having trouble coming up with a focus:
* In what various ways is the title Love Medicine appropriate for this novel? Be sure to discuss the entire novel, including characters, events, and themes that are not confined to the chapter "Love Medicine" (though you can discuss that chapter as well).
* How does humor function in Love Medicine? Do you feel that it adds to the novel, or detracts? Does Erdrich balance it well with poignant, squalid, and even tragic elements of the book, or not? (And, if you feel that it doesn't detract, is it possible that the humor enriches these other more serious aspects of the book, rather than merely coexisting with them?)
* Family-of-origin ties are important to various characters throughout Love Medicine. Does the novel itself seem to think blood ties are important, even when unacknowledged? (I.e. Do you see significant similarities between related characters, even when they don’t know or barely know one another? And, if so, how does this effect the various plots and themes that develop throughout the book?)
* Love Medicine is written from various perspectives as the chapters proceed, often from the first-person point-of-view of a character or from a third-person point-of-view that privileges the perspective of a single character. Rewrite a chapter that you see as particularly important from the perspective of another character. For example, what might Zelda think of the events of "Flesh and Blood," and what might her perspective reveal to us about Marie, about Nector, and/or about any of the novel's concerns? Be sure you use this creative writing exercise as a way to illustrate your understandings of the novel, in addition to creating a satisfying and believable voice and perspective for your version of the chapter.
Feel free to add your own response paper topic ideas in the comments below, if you're generous enough to share.
An idea, though a bit specific: cars in the book. We see cars show up multiple times, such as with King, Henry and Lyman, Gordie's deer incident etc. Cars pop up in a couple more places throughout the book and seem to serve some significance. I've started writing on something else, but this came upon my mind, if someone wants to write about it.
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting to explore Lyman's assimilation in-depth. The caring brother to Henry we first meet quickly shows his power- and money-hungry colors. He works for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and even runs an "authentic" trinket factory. What should we think of his newest project, the casino? What does it represent?
ReplyDeletePersonally, I'm writing on Marie and Sister Leopolda's relationship. I thought that was one of the most interesting storylines, so I probably won't be the only one!
I thought it would be interesting to look back and see all the references to food and how it represents a deeper connection to the family. One example would be the pies in the beginning and how they became shattered after King and Lynette were fighting. Albertine said something along the lines of "It can't be put back together again". There are many other instances.
ReplyDeleteIt could be valuable to look back throughout the novel at how Indian stereotypes are reinforced or not. Besides the mention of the casino, does the book mention any other traditionally Indian associated things like powwows, alcoholism, or their "red" skin ever mentioned and with what meaning?
ReplyDeleteAre there any common themes between the treatment of women in "Love Medicine"/ how women in the Native American community view marriage and relationships? Think back to some of the main female characters (June, Lynette, Marie, LuLu) and why they stayed in their various relationships. Was it for love, or stability for their children?
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ReplyDeleteSomething I found really interesting in Love Medicine and think would be a good topic would be the clash between Native American and Catholic culture in the portions of the novel that were set early on (St. Marie, etc., which were set in the early 1900s). While the culture differences decrease as Catholic and Chippewa culture merge as time goes on, there still seems to be this conflict between the Chippewa and whites later on, such as with the trinket factory and Gerry's recurring conflicts with the police.
ReplyDeleteHere's an idea if you haven't started your paper yet:
ReplyDeleteThere seems to be no perfect/loyal/stable marriages/couples in Love Medicine (with a possible exception of Dot and Gerry although Gerry is always being searched for or is in prison). Is this realistic or is the author creating problems so as to make the novel more interesting? Also is the author making a statement/ conveying a message with the problems in these relationships?
While I was thinking of what topic I would do for this paper the significance of water throughout the events of the book came to mind. I think it would be interesting to explore its meaning from a death aspect (ex. how Kind tried to drown Lynette), a marriage aspect (ex. how Nector describes his marriage as a river he is trapped in), and/or a religious aspect (ex. how Lulu thinks that Henry Juniors soul won't find rest because he drowned) of the book.
ReplyDeleteI've noticed throughout the book that there are often tight bonds and mutual understandings between characters even without verbal acknowledgment. It might be interesting to show how characters with family ties or similar heritage think alike. Some examples I thought about were Albertine being drawn to Henry, Lulu finding her way into Moses' trust, Lipsha's understanding with Gerry, Lulu's boys who are always as a pack, and Marie and Nectar's unspoken thing about sugar vs. salt.
ReplyDeleteSome interesting and potentially promising ideas for response papers, everyone! Thanks for sharing.
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