The Medicine Bag

What makes Grandpa sound glamorous to the narrator's friends?

Cheryl and Martin bragged and exaggerated about Grandpa's way of life, which made him sounds glamorous to their friends. Also, they had never met a Native American so the idea of one seems interesting.

Why does Grandpa want Martin to have the medicine bag?

Grandpa wants Martin to have the medicine bag because he believed that he was about to die and it is the tradition of the family that the medicine bag goes to the oldest male child. It is supposed to protect Martin and bring him good luck.

What can you conclude about Grandpa from the journey he took?

I can conclude about Grandpa from the journey he took that he cares a lot about his family and is willing to make a great effort and sacrifice to see them.

What can you conclude about Grandpa's belief in fate and destiny?

I can conclude that Grandpa believed in fate and destiny because if the medicine bag and the iron kettle were a miracle that helped Iron Shell follow his dreams, it can do the same for others.

Do you think Grandpa made the right decision to travel and visit his family?

I think that Grandpa made the right decision to travel and visit his family. He sensed that he would die and "he had to follow the tradition of his family to pass the medicine bag, along with its history, to the oldest male child" (paragraph 40). No one else knew the story and it was sacred to the family. He knew that he would go soon but not exactly when and telling Martin the story was urgent. Also, it was a good idea to spend what time he had left with his loved ones.

A three-sentence summary of "The Medicine Bag."

In "The Medicine Bag" Martin has a Native American Grandfather and tells tales about him to seem "cooler." When Grandpa decides to visit Martin, he is worried that Grandpa will embarrass him and is ashamed of his roots. Grandpa then tells Martin the story of his medicine bag and passes it down to him and this makes Martin proud of his heritage.

What is in the medicine bag, and what does Martin add to it at the end of the story?

In the medicine bag is the broken piece of the iron kettle that Iron Shell found, a pebble from the butte Iron Shell fasted and prayed on top of, and the remains of the piece of sacred sage (turned to dust) that Grandpa put inside it when he got the bag. At the end of the story, Martin replaces these remains with his own piece of sacred sage from the reservation.

Why does Martin feel the way he does about wearing the medicine bag at first?

Martin is embarrassed because he is afraid of what his friends will say when they see him wearing the medicine bag and afraid that they'll make fun of Grandpa.

Why are Martin and Cheryl's greetings so different?

Since Martin is older, he is concerned about what people think about him and is worried that Grandpa would embarrass him. Cheryl is young and doesn't care about that kind of thing yet.

Why does the author describe Martin's dream as "weird"?

The author describes the dream as "weird" to show how Martin's feelings had an effect on him. Also, it shows the contrast between weird and normal dreams.

Why does the author provide so much detail about Grandpa's journey?

The author provides so much detail about the journey in order to display Grandpa's hardships and his determination to see his family.

Why would the author include details about Grandpa's appearance at the beginning of the story? What does it foreshadow?

The details show us what health condition Grandpa is in and that he's not very strong which foreshadows his death and shows why Martin might be embarrassed.

What can the reader infer from about Grandpa's appearance?

The reader can infer that Grandpa is tired, close to his deathbed, and not a typical TV Native American.

What do these details about his dream reveal about Martin?

These details reveal that Martin, over time, started to care more about Grandpa and show affection towards him in his last moments.

What does the way Grandpa acted around Martin's friends suggest about Grandpa's character?

These details suggest that Grandpa understands Martin's feelings and knew that Martin was worried that Grandpa was embarrassing.

What important information does the background of the medicine bag reveal?

This passage reveals that there was a connection between Iron Shell and the medicine bag. Also, it reveals that the iron kettle piece inspired Iron Shell to become a blacksmith.

What can you conclude about Martin and his sister by the way they treat Grandpa?

We can conclude that Martin and Cheryl are at very different social stages in their life since Martin is concerned about what people think of him and worries about what people will think about Grandpa before being happy to see him, while Cheryl is just happy to see her Grandpa that she loves.

What can you conclude about the way Martin relates to his heritage?

We can conclude that Martin is ashamed of his heritage.

What happens when Grandpa arrives at Martin's house?

When Grandpa arrives at Martins house, he is found (by Martin) walking in the middle of the street with a bunch of dogs and kids around him. Martin is upset that Grandpa is there because he is worried that Grandpa would embarrass him. Then, since Grandpa was exhausted from the trip, he passed out.