Marie Lazzarre-Kashpaw is an extremely central character in Loise Erdrich's
             novel, Love Medicine. The collection of short stories chronicles Marie's life from her
             battles with an abusive nun at age fourteen, to conflicts with her children and
             grandchildren at the age of sixty-four. Throughout the novel she takes on many roles and
             can be associated to a great many themes, images, objects and details. In the text of this
             paper, I will present a few of these roles and associations in an attempt to better
             understand the Marie Lazzarre-Kashpaw character, and determine what her presence
             accomplishes in the larger narrative of Love Medicine.
             One recurring theme throughout the novel is Marie's reluctance to be associated
             with 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 is
             embarrassed by her roots and is thoroughly disgusted by her family, barring her sister
             Lucille. This is most evident in the part of the novel when Marie's mother gives her
             Lucille's daughter, June, after the child is found orphaned in the woods. . .
             "We don't know how the girl done it," said the old
             drunk woman who I didn't claim as my mother anymore.
             "Lucille was coughing blood," offered the
             Morrissey, the whining no-good who had not church
             "You dog," I said. "Where were you when she
             "He was working in the potato fields," the old
             drunk one wheedled. Her eyes had squeezed back into her
             face. Her nose had spread and her cheeks were shot with
             "He was rolling in his own filth more like it," I said.
             The were standing on my steps because I would not
             allow them onto my washed floor. (Erdrich, 85-86)
             The fact that Marie will not allow her own family into her house for fear of them soiling
             her...