Mikey Soto
Professor Peterson
English 380
27 November 2013
Gordie Kashpaw
Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich contains many symbols and motifs; one that is most apparent throughout the book is the symbol of Christ. We first see this symbol through the death of June Morrissey in the beginning of the novel. Most readers would venture to say that June best exemplifies the character of a Christ-like symbol, but I disagree. In the novel, particularly the chapters entitled “Crown of Thorns” and “Resurrection,” Gordie Kashpaw best exemplifies this Christ-like figure by becoming not only a symbol of pain and agony, but also a symbol of recovery and resurrection.
The chapter entitled “Crown of Thorns” follows the pain and agony Gordie Kashpaw first experiences.
…show more content…
The chapter shows the isolation of Gordie and the depression he falls into after the death of his wife, June Morrissey. Gordie turns to excessive alcohol consumption to grieve his wife’s death, but ends up drinking his way into a painful and depressing pit that he has a difficult time escaping from. The title of the chapter “Crown of Thorns” is fitting to Gordie, because like the crown of thorns that agonized and suppressed Jesus Christ, Gordie is wearing an imaginary crown of thorns that symbolizes the pain and heartache he is experiencing. “Crown of Thorns” starts out by informing the readers of Gordie’s alcoholic problems.
Gordie is missing his wife so much that he is drinking himself to unconsciousness; “A month after June died, Gordie took the first drink, and then the need was on him like a hook in his jaw, tipping his wrist, sending him out with needles piercing his hairline, his aching hands” (Erdrich 208). Gordie begins to fear thoughts of June and feels ashamed about some of the past actions he took on her; “What his hands remembered now were the times they struck June” (Erdrich 209). In a drunken state, trying to forget his thoughts about hurting his wife, Gordie stumbles out into the darkness and sets off in pursuit of more alcohol. While in isolation and sadness, Gordie begins to call out for June, and it frightens him; “‘I love you, little cousin!’ he said loudly. ‘June!’ Her name burst from him. He wanted to take it back as soon as he said it. Never, never, ever call the dead by their names, Grandma said. They might answer. Gordie knew this. Now he felt very uneasy” (Erdrich 213). Gordie begins to fear his thoughts of June and gets terrified in his visions of her. His persistent pursuits for alcohol and his constant consumption of it have poisoned him to sick thoughts, depression, and isolation. This addiction to alcohol and constant yearning for it is a symbol of temptations from the devil. Gordie, once again, shows he is a Christ-like figure by battling his own type of devil, …show more content…
alcohol. “Crown of Thorns” goes on to show more problems alcohol causes Gordie. While still feeling uneasy and terrified of his thoughts of June, Gordie hops in his car and goes for a drunken drive to retrieve another bottle of alcohol. In the midst of his drunken drive, Gordie hits a deer. He decides to throw the deer in the back of his car so he can later sell the venison for more alcohol. After driving on, Gordie is surprised to find out that the deer is still alive. He glances in the rearview mirror and catches eye contact with the deer. Her look was black and endless and melting pure. She looked through him. She saw into the troubled thrashing woods of him, a rattling thicket of bones. She saw how he’d woven his own crown of thorns. She saw how although he was not worthy he’d jammed this belief on his brow. Her eyes stared into some hidden place but blocked him out. (Erdrich 221) Gordie picks up a crowbar in his car and bashes it in between the eyes of the deer. “In that moment it came to his attention that he’d just killed June. She was in the backseat, sprawled, her short skirt hiked up over her hips. The sheer white panties glowed. Her hair was tossed in a dead black swirl” (Erdrich 222). In his drunken state, Gordie fully believed he had killed his wife. Gordie didn’t actually kill June by bashing her head in; he symbolically killed her by becoming an alcoholic and neglecting her. Gordie had “woven his own crown of thorns” by abusing alcohol, and in the end, that’s what caused his pain and agony. Towards the end of “Crown of Thorns,” Gordie begins to show more qualities of a Christ-like figure, but not necessarily through pain and agony. After “killing” June, Gordie feels the need to see the nun, Sister Mary Martin de Porres, to confess his sins. After “weaving his own crown of thorns,” Gordie shows signs of change and faith by feeling the need to confess to Mary Martin. Gordie then agrees to take Mary Martin to his car to see the dead body; “Mary Martin had prepared herself so strictly for the sight of a woman’s body that the animal jolted her perhaps more than if the woman had been there. At the first sight of it, so strange and awful, a loud cackle came from her mouth” (Erdrich 228). Gordie became frightened of Mary Martin and ran away from her into some open fields. Although he showed signs of faith by wanting to confess his sins, he ran away from the situation and still remains in fear and agony. The chapter entitled “Resurrection” continues to follow Gordie’s pain and agony through alcohol consumption, but gives the reader a hope for recovery and redemption for Gordie.
"Resurrection" shows Gordie's unpredictable behavior from his drunkenness, along with Marie's responsibility to do what must be done in order to protect her son. The title of the chapter “Resurrection” is fitting to Gordie, because similar to how Jesus Christ resurrected from his pain, agony, and death, Gordie has an opportunity to “resurrect” and recover from his pain and agony from alcohol abuse.
The chapter begins with Gordie stammering into his mother’s yard where he eventually passes out from being belligerently drunk; “He swayed, arms close to his sides, a doll with weighted feet. The circle of his motion grew rounder and wider until in one movement he uprooted himself and sprawled headlong, diving forward to the margin of spent grass that Marie cultivated with the leavings of her kitchen water” (Erdrich 261). Marie leaves her son to sleep there and covers him with a quilt. Upon waking up, Gordie feels the need to apologize to his mother. Marie realizes that her son’s real intentions of visiting her was to get more alcohol, but she was willing to put up a fight in order to stop him; “'Give me that shot.’ His demand was sharp, sudden, sober. He rose toward her, bigger, expanding his chest, pushing out his neck cords. Marie did not move but when his hand came near, she raised her paring knife and
slashed him lightly where his palm would have connected” (Erdrich 266). Once again, Gordie shows characteristics of a Christ-like figure as he gains a wound on his palm, similar to Jesus Christ’s wounds on his hand. Later in the chapter, Marie finds that Gordie has consumed a bottle of Lysol. Again he thrashes out of control until he comes to rest on a bed and is finally still. Marie picks up an ax and waits in a chair at the door; “She bent over, loosened the laces on her shoes, picked up the ax that was laying by the chair, and placed it carefully on her lap” (Erdrich 274). She realizes that she must protect her son against the corruption alcohol has caused him. She prepares for another fight with Gordie when he wakes up. In his alcoholic condition, he is not only dangerous to himself, but also to her. Only because Marie guards him, does it seem possible that he will get through this alcoholic addiction. If he cannot, Marie will kill him; “There was no question in her mind that if she let him go he would get himself killed. She would almost rather have killed him herself” (Erdrich 275). Marie believes that if Gordie can make it through the next three days sober, he will be cleansed and resurrected from his addiction. This serves as a connection to the miracle resurrection of Jesus Christ after three days. Although the chapter doesn’t have a clear resolution, the readers see that Gordie has an opportunity to miraculously resurrect and recover from his alcohol-induced trial, similar to how Jesus Christ resurrected from his death. Gordie displays many characteristics of Christ throughout the book, specifically the chapters “Crown of Thorns” and “Resurrection.” From the death of his wife, June, and his addiction to alcohol, Gordie fell from grace into temptations from the devil. He became a symbol of pain and agony, but with the help of his mother, Marie, he was given an opportunity to resurrect and recover from his alcohol addiction. Gordie was a Christ-like figure by symbolizing hope after tribulations and redemption after one has lost him or herself. Works Cited Erdrich, Louise. Love Medicine. N.p.: Holt, Reinhart, 1984. Print.
writhes in pain all his days, and numbered are the years stored up for the ruthless."(NASB p569).
To illustrate people were brutally beaten to a point where they could no longer feel pain. On page 36 it said the following "The Kapos were beating us again, I no longer felt pain." On page 57 Eliezer was whipped because he walked in on a strange situation. To which he was later whipped but the quote of the book "I no longer felt anything except the lashes of the whip... Only the first one really hurt." It's sad knowing that after being hit for so long one kinda gets used to it exactly like Eliezer did.
In conclusion, cruelty fulfills a vital role in Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible where it contributes immensely in reader engagement and theme awareness. From the many cruel actions imbedded in the in story line, the reader benefits tremendously in analyzing the characters in precise detail. Successfully, Kingsolver applies cruelty to her advantage as it enhances the work to strengthen the plot, theme, and reader
until he kills his opponent, sniper on the opposite rooftop. This calmness in goryness clearly justifies the turmoil and the plight that the author shows in this short story. The author uses the course and characters of the story to chart the course of the characters in every scene of violence everywhere. The emphasis given to the bloodshed, the war, the loss of life is more. than what is given to the feelings, the people and the life and in.
...gonist will eventually destroy himself for drug and alcohol. Also, on page 54, narrator says “…but you were my mother.” just because she poured more drink than he paid for. Protagonist’s mental destruction is so severe that even a little more drink can make a stranger his mother. “Work” is more implicit in terms of showing the fall of drug addicts compared to “Car Crash While Hitchhiking.”
In the novels Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich and The Way to Rainy Mountain by N. Scott Momaday, the reader gains views of Native American culture, both past and present, through two disparate means of delivery. Both authors provide immensely rich portrayals through varying literary devices in efforts to bring about a better understanding of problems contemporary Native Americans face, especially regarding their own self-identity.
Within the memoir, The Glass Castle, the self destructing addiction of alcohol becomes an apparent theme throughout the literature. Alcoholism is a disease that can cause destruction to families and even ruin lives. This is a common occurrence that effect’s many Americans today. Alcoholism is one of the most common problems in families, it doesn’t always interfere with just the person drinking the alcohol. It also affects the people around the influenced person. Rex’s struggle with alcohol is logged through his daughter Jeannettes struggles as she is finding the balance between respecting daughter and a strong individual. It is through her accounts that the reader is able to see the truly damaging effects of this disease.
...n occurs when the Storm God’s son retrieves his father’s heart and eyes and restores them to him. With this restoration of position the Storm God is able to defeat the Serpent at the sea.
Point of view is one of the single greatest assets an author can use. It helps to move the plot along and show what is happening from a character’s perspective. An author can make the plot more complex by introducing several characters that the reader has to view events through. The events can then be seen through different eyes and mindsets forcing the reader to view the character in a different light. From one perspective a character can seem cruel, yet, from another, the same character can seem like a hero. These vastly contrasting views can be influenced based on the point of view, a character’s background, and the emotions towards them. The novel Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich showcases some examples of events seen from different points
the chapter he goes to visit the mother of his dead friend, Kemmerich. While there he tells
The story “Royal Beatings” is a beautiful representation of a young girl’s view of the world around her. Munro uses vivid details to create a story and characters that feel real. She draws the reader in and allows the reader to understand Rose through her poignant words about her life. Then, in the end, enables the reader to make the connections that Rose perhaps misses. “Royal Beatings” is not about any particular moment in Rose’s life or any certain action related to the reader. The story is, in fact, not about plot at all. It is instead about creating characters with a sense of verisimilitude and humanity while revealing “all their helplessness and rage and rancor.”
Drugs is one of the themes in this story that shows the impact of both the user and their loved ones. There is no doubt that heroin destroys lives and families, but it offers a momentary escape from the characters ' oppressive environment and serves as a coping mechanism to help deal with the human suffering that is all around him. Suffering is seen as a contributing factor of his drug addiction and the suffering is linked to the narrator’s daughter loss of Grace. The story opens with the narrator feeling ice in his veins when he read about Sonny’s arrest for possession of heroin. The two brothers are able to patch things up and knowing that his younger brother has an addiction. He still buys him an alcoholic drink at the end of the story because, he has accepted his brother for who he really is.
First came the pride, an overwhelming sense of achievement, an accomplishment due to great ambition, but slowly and enduringly surged a world of guilt and confusion, the conscience which I once thought diminished, began to grow, soon defeating the title and its rewards. Slowly the unforgotten memories from that merciless night overcame me and I succumbed to the incessant and horrific images, the bloody dagger, a lifeless corpse. I wash, I scrub, I tear at the flesh on my hands, trying desperately to cleanse myself of the blood. But the filthy witness remains, stained, never to be removed.
...nouille obtains the love he never had at his moment of death, yet could not experience it as everyone devoured him into non-existence. Grenouille proved himself a monster as he was in seven years of solitude, saw himself as God, and killed himself, leaving his life in vain.
He begins to think how he had just killed a man and how him and his friends had tried to attempt rapping a girl. As he is walking in the lake he touches a dead body and gets freaked out even more and began to yell. Then the girl hears him and scream there they are and began to throw rocks into the lake trying to hit the narrator. He then hears the voice of Bobby who bought him relief and sorrow at the same time. He felt relief because he discovers that the Bobby is not dead and sorrow because the Bobby was alive and wanted to kill him and his friends.