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)