11th Grade Louise Erdrich Short Story Links
In what way is death seen as rejoining nature? -- Shawl
The sister flies into the arms/mouths of the hungry wolves
How do they honor the dead? -- Shawl
They talk about and remember the sister, and they decide to burn her Shawl.
Characters trapped in dreams -- Shawl
Aanakwad in depression (or alcoholic father)
Characters who are willing or do kill themselves -- Horse
Albertine (to protect her son from being taken)
Animal metaphor -- Horse
Albertine as a butterfly in flight. Also her name relates to horses, and her father is simply referred to as "American Horse."
Who tries to wake others from their dream? -- Horse
Albertine wakes Buddy
Acts of sacrifice by loved one -- Horse
Albertine willing to take bullets for her son (and uncle willing to face police)
Colors with meaning -- Horse
Blue (sad) butterfly or soft, silky pink (feminine) shirt
In what way is death seen as rejoining nature? -- Convertible
Both Henry and the car sink into the River where they are "running and running"
Characters trapped in dreams -- Horse
Buddy in his sense of coming doom with dreams of machines coming to take him.
Blood -- Horse
Buddy's blood (his mother's) in the chocolate
Acts of sacrifice by loved one -- Convertible
Car given up by Lyman -- through destruction and sent into river. Lyman destroying the car. Henry fixing and giving car to Lyman.
Blood -- Shawl
Father's blood after fight with son. Blood on shawl of sister who jumped to wolves. The shawl is used to wipe the father's bloody face after fight.
Characters who are willing or do kill themselves -- Convertible
Henry (to escape his pain after fixing the car for his brother)
Animal metaphor -- Convertible
Henry as a fearful rabbit
Characters trapped in dreams -- Convertible
Henry in deep trauma/depression
What didn't the white people understand? -- Convertible
Henry wouldn't have been saved by being locked up or given medicine.
Blood -- Convertible
Henry's bloody lip, bitten through. It falls into his food, and he eats it.
What didn't the white people understand? -- Horse
Love is not shown through material comforts. House is lacking food, but shows love in table to eat together, soft chairs, and grandmother's quilt.
Who tries to wake others from their dream? -- Convertible
Lyman tries to wake his brother
How do they honor the dead? -- Convertible
Lyman walks everywhere/hides his brother's picture that shows his brother's pain -- tells the story of his brother.
What didn't the white people understand? -- Shawl
Pushing everyone into town, away from the wild, hurt their communities
Colors with meaning -- Convertible
Red car and Red River -- shared blood
Characters who are willing or do kill themselves -- Shawl
Sister (to protect her family from the wolves)
Animal metaphor -- Shawl
Sister as a "bird" in flight at the end
Who tries to wake others from their dream? -- Shawl
Sister wakes Aanakwad
How do they honor the dead? -- Horse (either Albertine's father or Albertine who is dead in Buddy's mind)
Albertine imagines her father throwing her as she jumps in front of the gun, and Buddy screams for his mother.
In what way is death seen as rejoining nature? -- Horse
Albertine is seen as running into the ground
Acts of sacrifice by loved one -- Shawl
Sister willing to kill herself to save rest of family. Brother willing to fight father to save family/siblings.
Colors with meaning -- Shawl
brown and red shawl (earth and blood)