Native American Culture In Louise Erdrich's Love Medicine
Louise Erdrich’s Love Medicine revolves around a huge family of Native Americans. The reader is able to learn the history of the family by reading stories of their interactions. The audience is transported into a reservation system where they view these interactions and key components of Native American culture, the parts that remain and the parts that have withered away. As the novel progresses the readers learn about how Native American culture interacts or doesn't interact, with white culture. The audience learns about the effects of colonization on Native American culture and how it continues to affect their daily lives, despite the fact that colonization took place hundreds of years ago. The novel starts off with a story about June …show more content…
One of the ways the readers can see this is the character's relationship with Christianity. Marie’s interaction with Sister Leopolda shows how abusive the Christian faith is towards Native Americans. In “Saint Marie” there are multiple stories of sister Leopolda physically and emotionally abusing young Marie. “‘Well, you’ve done it with the Devil in your heart then,’ she said. ‘Not God’” Sister Leopolda refers to Maries Indian heritage as the devil, darkness, and the dark one (Erdrich). This is how she convinces Marie that she needs the physical abuse of being burned with boiling water and being nearly put into an oven. Once Marie realizes that her background isn’t something to be ashamed of or something evil she leaves the convent. However, the trauma continues to haunt her throughout her life. Her hatred towards Christianity allows to keep herself in check but in “Flesh and Blood” when she goes to see Sister Leopolda on her deathbed her trauma is manifested when she tries to prove her strength at whatever cost. “I would get that spoon,” shows how desperate Marie was to reclaim that power that Sister Leopolda had taken away from her when she was a child (Erdrich). But the most disheartening part of this story is that even on her deathbed Marie was still not able to reclaim her power. This scene serves as a metaphor to represent how native Americans are never able to get their strength back from the white
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482 Words | 2 PagesIn a healthcare setting you will see different cultures that will come and go. It is very important to know how to deal with each culture so that you can help them while still making sure they are comfortable. Native Americans have many different characteristics because of the different tribes from all over the world. Healthcare providers should be familiar with them so they know how to distinguish them if needed. While knowing their characteristics they should also know how to interact with Native Americans as well since their culture is a lot different than ours, we want to make sure that we don’t disrespect them.
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1478 Words | 6 PagesThe power of stories manifests itself in literature, film, and more generally life. Stories inspire, provide hope, and bring understanding. Leslie Marmon Silko’s novel Ceremony permeates the strength of stories. Ceremony follows the story of Tayo, a half white Native American plagued by the invasion of European culture, as well as his own past of war and loss. However, through the folk stories of his Laguna culture, as well as the advice he has been given to embrace his past, Tayo is able to see the world more clearly.
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585 Words | 3 PagesThe Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down In The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, Anne Fadiman introduces the reader to the Hmong culture and to the Lee’s family experience with western medicine. Throughout the book it talks of the past interactions of the Hmong and Americans, showing reasoning why the Hmong already mistrust Americans and western medicine. Following World War II, the Hmong culture was rejected and ridiculed by the Chinese for not assimilating with their culture, causing many to move to the U.S. Upon arrival, they were still ridiculed, harassed, and violated. In the Hmong’s eyes, they deserved respect and welfare for their sacrifices in the war.
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Louise Erdrich's Love Medicine Analysis
255 Words | 2 PagesThe way that they are represented in the novel provides an insight into modern day native American culture unparalleled by any history book. The way women, children, men, religious figures, and senior citizens are represented in the book allow readers to see the way native Americans interact with others. These interactions allow us to see how native
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1561 Words | 7 PagesThe imperial medical model was different than what the Native Americans were used to because it was based on science considering that they utilized medications and vaccinations and it caused the Native Americans to suffer immensely [Lecture 1/23]. Native Americans grew extremely desperate for these vaccinations, specifically for smallpox since the destruction the disease caused was so immense. For example, the desperation is illustrated in an entry of James Pattie’s journal as he recalls himself and fellow prisoner being asked if they had a vaccine [Pattie 1]. This desperation caused Native Americans to be taken advantage of by white settlers. For example many of the medical benefits treaties required the Native Americans to surrender their land in order for vaccinations [Lecture 1/23].
Gender Roles In Native Americans
728 Words | 3 PagesAlthough Native Americans are characterized as both civilized and uncivilized in module one readings, their lifestyles and culture are observed to be civilized more often than not. The separate and distinct duties of men and women (Sigard, 1632) reveal a society that has defined roles and expectations based on gender. There are customs related to courtship (Le Clercq, 1691) that are similar to European cultures. Marriage was a recognized union amongst Native Americans, although not necessarily viewed as a serious, lifelong commitment like the Europeans (Heckewelder, 1819). Related to gender roles in Native American culture, Sigard writes of the Huron people that “Just as the men have their special occupation and understand wherein a man’s duty consists, so also the women and girls keep their place and perform quietly their little tasks and functions of service”.
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Loyalty In Montana 1948
1762 Words | 8 PagesWesley would like to do nothing but on the other hand his wife Gail is loyal to Maire and wants justice. Marie’s sickness is sort of a blessing in disguise when it comes down to it, if she had not been sick, then frank would have not be caught. Therefore even though Marie lacks power she was able to help other Native American girls in the future because they will no longer have to face Frank as a doctor. Another example of attitude towards Native Americans is Frank Hayden’s. “As if he had no more concern for what he did than if…..if he had kicked a dog.
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In Paula Gunn Allen's Essay 'Where I Came From Is Like This'
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