Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich is a story about the lives of several families in the Chippewa tribe. Erdrich captures the struggles and triumphs of the characters in beautifully narrated prose. The majority of the book is written from the first person point of view, although there are a few chapters where the narrator is in the 3rd person. Using this interesting style, Erdrich is able to show all sides of a specific event from many different viewpoints. Another plus that this style brings is the way the reader can see the internal struggles of a character and is privy to information that is never spoken. The author also shows the struggle of the characters to become more than “just an Indian” and at the same time, keep their connection to nature and their native heritage. One of the main themes of this book is water. Throughout the book, water is seen as a tool for rejuvenation, a barrier between worlds, and a bringer of death.

At many points in the book characters us water as a way to clear their heads. This can be seen whe

n June and Gordie on their honeymoon up to a small secluded lake. This is one of the only times in the book where the characters seemed genuinely happy because “There was nothing to disturb their peace”(p.270). This was a rare occurrence in the book that there would be nothing to disturb the scene. Living next to the lake, Gordie and June enjoy their honeymoon.

One of the most disturbing aspects of this book is the way that death, especially suicide, is dealt with. So many deaths happen that it seems to be a normal part of their lives. The drowning death of Henry Junior is one of the most vivid in the book. This is because “Drowning was the worst death for a Chippewa to experience…the drowned weren’t allowed into the next life but forced to wander forever” (p.295). In this light, water has so much power. It takes life and keeps it from passing on. Another death that is associated with water is the death of June. The last line as June walks into the snow is: “June walked over it (snow) like it was water and came home” (p.7). June never made it home. She was engu

Some topics in this essay:
Louise Erdrich, Moses Pillager, Henry Junior, Love Medicine, June Gordie, Indian Reservation, Gordie June, love medicine, book characters, throughout book, book water, forced wander, henry junior, lives characters,