Love Medicine - A study of Marie
Marie Lazzarre-Kashpaw is an extremely central character in Loise Erdrich'snovel, Love Medicine. The collection of short stories chronicles Marie's life from herbattles with an abusive nun at age fourteen, to conflicts with her children andgrandchildren at the age of sixty-four. Throughout the novel she takes on many roles andcan be associated to a great many themes, images, objects and details. In the text of thispaper, I will present a few of these roles and associations in an attempt to betterunderstand the Marie Lazzarre-Kashpaw character, and determine what her presenceaccomplishes in the larger narrative of Love Medicine. One recurring theme throughout the novel is Marie's reluctance to be associatedwith her Lazzarre roots. The Lazzarre clan is thought of as the "trash" of the community,as most of them live in extreme poverty and have serious drinking problems. Marie isembarrassed by her roots and is thoroughly disgusted by her family, barring her sisterLucille. This is most evident in the part of the novel when Marie's mother gives herLucille's daughter, June, after the child is found orphaned in the woods. . . "We don't know how the girl done it," said the old
A third theme that can be analyzed in Love Medicine is Marie's role as ahomemaker and how she uses that role to achieve her goals and handle her fears. In the other she held that long sharp fork she used totap the delicate crusts of the loaves. Rushes Bear eases Marie through thedifficult birth and the two come to a quasi-understanding. Before that birth of the child, a son after all, RushesBear was a hot fire that I wanted to crush. " In the larger narrative of Love Medicine, the Marie Lazzarre-Kashpaw charactersymbolizes a strong, female figure. Marie is affected quite positivelyby these situations, and ultimately becomes a better person despite all of the abuse shetakes from these two women. The first time is when Nector admits that he is in love withLulu and has been sleeping with her regularly. There was a moment when I felt a sort of thin, hotdisappointment, as when a fish slips off the line. Her eyes had squeezed back into herface. This is a therapy for her, as she is helping kids that remind her of herself when she was achild from a "trashy" family.
Common topics in this essay:
Love Medicine,
Rushes Bear,
Marie Throughout,
Hell Marie,
Jesus Christ,
Marie Lazzarre-Kashpaw,
Leopolda Marie,
Leopolda Leopolda,
Sister Leopolda,
Bear Marie,
rushes bear,
love medicine,
marie lazzarre-kashpaw,
throughout novel,
role homemaker,
sister leopolda,
ignorance arrogance,
marie strong,
larger narrative love,
marie takes,
larger narrative,
marie lazzarre-kashpaw character,
narrative love medicine,
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Acceptance Essays
