McKinney, Karen Janet. "False Miracles and Failed Vision in Louise Erdrich's Love Medicine." Critique 40.2 (1999): 152. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 31 Jan. 2011.
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In this article, Karen Janet McKinney critiques the novel Love Medicine. Louise Erdrich believes that Catholicism was a very destructive influence on the Chippewa. McKinney wants the readers to understand the background of the Chippewa’s before reading the novel. She goes very in depth to explain the history of the Catholic missionaries and the Native Americans. Furthermore, she explains the Chippewa’s political and family structure, religion, and their belief on dreams/visions. She also examines the main character and his connection to Erdrich.
McKinney believes that Erdrich is showing her thoughts and feelings on how Catholicism has changed her Chippewa people to be more modern through the main character in the novel. She found a similarity between Erdrich and the main character, Lipsha. Erdrich’s grandfather, who was a tribal chairman on her reservation, “practiced Catholicism and the traditional Chippewa religion.” Lipsha’s grandfather had turned solely to Catholicism and basically forgot what he was brought up believing in, leaving him knowing nothing but Catholicism. McKinney believes that this different religion/belief their grandfather’s share and the confusion it brought to both of them, brings out a similar quality in them. Whether Erdrich admits it or not, McKinney can tell that she is very angered at what Catholicism did to her people’s culture and it shows in her writings.
It frustrated Erdrich that since Catholicism was introduced, and basically forced upon them, the Chippewa's have completely forgotten about their traditional beliefs. McKinney states that roughly from the beginning of the book you can tell there won’t be a happy ending to this story. She also refers to Erdrich as a “survivor of a holocaust.”
I think this is a good source to learn more about the novel Love Medicine. I also found it very helpful that McKinney gave background on the Chippewa's. It also showed how the story related to Erdrich's personal life. It is often refreshing to hear that not everything is made up and that authors still put some truth into their novels.
I think this is a good source to learn more about the novel Love Medicine. I also found it very helpful that McKinney gave background on the Chippewa's. It also showed how the story related to Erdrich's personal life. It is often refreshing to hear that not everything is made up and that authors still put some truth into their novels.
Sounds like a great article. I may have my students in American Literature read it when they read this novel later this semester. You should read it, too -- it's a wonderful novel.
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