Style and Technique

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Louise Erdrich's storytelling is deeply rooted in the compelling fusion of her Ojibwe heritage and the innovative use of literary techniques. Her works, reminiscent of William Faulkner's narratives and D'Arcy McNickle's ethnographic influences, capture the essence of character and setting with remarkable depth. Erdrich's mastery of magic realism and first-person narrative perspective serves as a powerful means of exploring not just the supernatural, but also complex human emotions and societal themes.

The Influence of Heritage and Storytelling Roots

Having grown up in Wahpeton, North Dakota, Erdrich was immersed in the storytelling traditions of the Ojibwe people during her visits to her grandparents on the Turtle Mountain Reservation. Although she only learned the Ojibwe language later in life, she absorbed the oral lore that forms the backbone of her narratives. This cultural foundation is pivotal, providing her with rich material for her novels, where she crafts rural and village settings alive with multi-generational family sagas. Her interconnected stories and diverse perspectives draw a parallel to Faulkner's work, where multiple narrators and intricately woven storylines create a tapestry of human experience.

Magic Realism: Infusing the Supernatural with Reality

Erdrich’s use of magic realism in stories like "Fleur" reflects a tradition popularized by Latin American authors such as Jorge Luis Borges and Gabriel García Márquez. This technique melds the extraordinary with the everyday, allowing the supernatural to manifest in recognizable environments. In "Fleur," magic realism is embodied by the titular character's mystical relationship with the water spirit Misshepeshu, which enriches the narrative with layers of meaning. Fleur's ability to survive drowning and influence natural elements lends an air of enchantment, challenging readers to navigate the boundary between myth and reality.

The supernatural elements in "Fleur" are not mere embellishments; they are integral to unraveling themes of power, gender dynamics, and identity. By seamlessly integrating these elements into the story, Erdrich defies conventional storytelling and invites a reevaluation of what defines reality. The magic serves as a metaphorical lens through which deeper societal and personal issues can be explored, blending the mystical with the mundane to enrich the reader’s experience.

First-Person Narrative: A Complex Viewpoint

Erdrich employs a first-person narrative perspective through Pauline, a character whose storytelling is steeped in superstition and personal bias. Pauline’s narrative is colored by her perceptions, creating an atmosphere of mystery and ambiguity. Her self-described "invisibility" suggests she perceives more than others, yet her accounts are deliberately unreliable, leaving readers questioning the truth behind her words.

This narrative choice is significant in "Fleur," especially as the story unfolds and Pauline's role in the events becomes more ambiguous. Her claim that three men died due to Fleur's mystical powers is complicated by hints of her own involvement, and her reluctance to fully disclose the truth adds depth to the narrative. Erdrich's strategic use of this perspective not only deepens the intrigue but also raises questions about the nature of truth and the reliability of storytellers.

Readers are drawn into a critical engagement with the narrative, challenging them to discern fact from fiction and reflect on the subjective nature of storytelling. Erdrich's choice of perspective enriches the story with complexity, offering a multilayered exploration of human experience and inviting interpretation.

Interweaving Techniques for Rich Narratives

Together, the elements of magic realism and first-person perspective create a narrative tapestry in Erdrich's work that explores profound themes with nuance and depth. By crafting a world where the magical and the real coexist, Erdrich invites readers to delve beneath the surface of her stories, considering the interplay between reality and imagination. Her techniques not only elevate the storytelling but also offer a profound commentary...

(This entire section contains 615 words.)

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on the human condition, tradition, and the nature of truth.

Ideas for Group Discussions

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"Fleur" serves as an excellent gateway into Erdrich's larger body of work. Despite its concise nature, it rewards readers who delve into it multiple times for deeper analysis. One of its key narrative strategies is the selection of Pauline as the sole narrator, through whose perspective the entire story unfolds. This choice can be a starting point for discussions about the story.

1. How do we gain insights into Fleur? What is the source of our information? What are the implications of Erdrich's choice of point of view for a reader's understanding of character and action?

2. List all the specific details related to the story's setting. What are the consequences of such a rich layering of facts about the story's physical and cultural context?

3. Fleur and Pauline are both Ojibwe. How does Erdrich address the issues of ethnic prejudice and its impacts?

4. Which elements of the setting and action most significantly reveal the theme?

5. Research the history of the Ojibwe (also known as Chippewa) from their first contact with Europeans to the period in which the story is set.

6. As a class project, form groups of 4 to 6 people, write a script for the story, assign actors to the roles, find or create locations, memorize your lines, and shoot a video. Write an analysis of what you aim to achieve with a video adaptation of the short story and evaluate the results of your work. Share your video with the rest of the class.

7. As an individual or class project, create adaptations of "Fleur" in other media, such as performance arts like dance, opera, or musical theater.

8. Create an interpretation of "Fleur" through drawing, painting, or sculpting. Write an analysis of your experiences and what you learned from the process.

9. Research traditional Ojibwe tribal arts such as quillwork, beadwork, or dance. Prepare a report that relates the findings of your research to your engagement with the text of the story.

10. "Fleur" is a small part of Erdrich's extensive "saga" of the Ojibwe community in the upper Midwest. Similar to William Faulkner's Yoknapatawpha County, Erdrich's Ozhibi'iganan, or the reservation depicted in her work, is a large and diverse community that is distinct yet connected in various ways to the larger community, such as the metropolitan centers of Minneapolis-St. Paul or Fargo, North Dakota. Read her other works and create a map of the reservation and its surrounding community. Develop family trees for Erdrich's characters and schematically represent their interconnectedness. How does this exercise enhance your understanding of her artistry?

Historical Context

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The early twentieth century in North Dakota unfolds against a backdrop of dramatic changes and conflicts that shaped the region's cultural and political landscape. As diverse groups vied for control and survival in a harsh and unforgiving environment, the intricate stories of the Native American tribes, particularly the Chippewa, and immigrant settlers reveal a tapestry of resilience and struggle. Against this historical context, literary works such as Louise Erdrich's "Fleur" explore these themes, offering a window into the lives and challenges of those who lived through these transformative times.

Geopolitical Landscape of Early Twentieth-Century North Dakota

Located west of Minnesota and on the southern border of Canada, North Dakota is part of the central United States' Great Plains. Its climate is characterized by aridity and extreme temperatures, factors that have profoundly influenced its rural economy. Sparse settlement marked the state until the late nineteenth century, with the land contested by Native American tribes and waves of immigrants.

The mid-nineteenth century saw an influx of Anglo-American and Canadian settlers who engaged in farming and the fur trade. However, by the late nineteenth century, many of these settlers moved away, making room for new arrivals from Norway and Germany, particularly Russian-Germans. By 1910, the foreign-born population in North Dakota was significantly high, with distinct immigrant groups often maintaining their separate identities.

Economic and Political Flux: Railways and Reforms

The period between 1898 and 1915 was one of rapid change, marked by a population boom spurred by the completion of railroads connecting North Dakota to the wider West. Politically, this era saw the rise of Republican Progressives, who implemented reforms and transformed several businesses into public enterprises to counter dominance by Minneapolis-St. Paul grain traders. Despite these efforts, accusations of mismanagement and pro-German sympathies led to their ousting in the 1921 recall election.

By 1913, the socioeconomic situation in rural towns, farms, and Native American reservations was precarious. Diseases, drought, and food shortages ravaged these communities, exacerbating the dire circumstances of tribes like the Sioux and Chippewa, who had been relegated to infertile lands and were suffering from malnutrition and epidemics.

The Chippewa: A Struggle for Survival

Originating in the Great Lakes region, the Chippewa, also known as Ojibwa or Anishinabe, encountered European settlers as early as the sixteenth century. Traditionally hunters, they became integral to the French fur trade, forging alliances with the French. However, the relentless westward push of European-descended Americans dislocated the Chippewa and depleted their hunting grounds.

Compounded by conflicts and diseases introduced by Europeans, the Chippewa were forced into less desirable territories. The Dawes Severalty Act of 1887 further eroded their landholdings, transferring nearly sixty percent of Native lands to white settlers by the time of its repeal in 1934. The resulting hardships left the Chippewa in North Dakota grappling with poverty, disease, and loss of cultural identity.

Literary Reflections: "Fleur" and Cultural Narratives

Louise Erdrich, an acclaimed author and mixed-blood member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe, uses her literary works to illuminate the stories of Native Americans during this tumultuous period. Her character, Fleur Pillager, first introduced in the short story "Fleur," is a pivotal figure in exploring the intersection of social issues and personal narratives amidst the Euro-American conquest.

Erdrich's work captures the devastating impacts of land loss and cultural erosion on the Ojibwe and other tribes. The General Allotment Act of 1887, for instance, emerges in her stories as a critical tool in the systematic dismantling of tribal societies, a sentiment echoed by historians like Brian W. Dippie and Leonard A. Carlson. Erdrich's portrayal of these historical undercurrents offers a poignant critique of how policies led to poverty, illiteracy, and cultural disintegration.

"Fleur": A Tale of Exploitation and Resilience

"Fleur" by Erdrich delves into themes of exploitation and injustice, particularly against women of Native, White, and mixed-blood descent. Characters like Fritzie Kozka, Fleur Pillager, and Pauline Puyat endure arduous labor in the oppressive environment of Koska's Meats, a butcher shop in Argus, North Dakota. The work is physically demanding and poorly compensated, and violence against these women is a pervasive, if subtle, undercurrent.

The narrative evolves as a reflection on the systemic mistreatment of women in male-dominated societies of the era. Erdrich skillfully uses legend and folklore as mechanisms for justice and resistance, as seen through the supernatural elements surrounding Fleur's character. Her story challenges readers to reconsider the roles of power and agency in the face of pervasive societal injustices.

Exploring Responsibility and Justice in "Fleur"

"Fleur" also examines themes of responsibility and justice, inviting a nuanced interpretation of events. Some readers might be tempted to attribute the misfortunes of the characters to Fleur's supposed supernatural abilities. However, such a reading would ignore the deeper critiques embedded in the narrative regarding the pervasive injustices suffered by Native American women.

The ultimate resolution in "Fleur" comes not through conventional means but through the traditional stories and the "old ways." Erdrich uses these elements to comment on the futility of seeking justice within an unjust system, instead offering cultural expressions as a form of resistance and empowerment. Legends about Fleur, such as the belief that any man who saves her is doomed, serve to reinforce her mystique and the enduring power of her people.

In the aftermath of the tornado that destroys much of Argus, the frozen bodies of the men who assaulted Fleur are discovered. The narrative leaves open the question of whether the events are rooted in the supernatural, an act of retribution, or the consequences of their own actions. This ambiguity enriches the story's exploration of themes such as the interaction of myth and reality, the consequences of exploitation, and the resilience of cultural identity.

Through "Fleur" and her other works, Erdrich contributes to a broader understanding of the historical and cultural shifts that have shaped Native American experiences in North Dakota and beyond. Her stories blend historical context with rich cultural narratives, providing a powerful lens through which to view the past and its enduring impact on contemporary issues.

Compare and Contrast

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1910s: The Chippewa face challenges such as poverty, insufficient hunting grounds, depression, and land loss. While there is minimal organized resistance against the American government, Chippewa leaders and activists engage with Bureau of Indian Affairs agents.

1980s: The American Indian Movement, established by three Chippewa in 1968 to tackle issues like disenfranchisement, poverty, and treaty rights, remains active. This includes occupying a camp in the Black Hills of South Dakota from 1981 to 1984. However, the movement declines due to Federal Bureau of Investigation actions and the Indian Self-Determination and Educational Assistance Act of 1975, which addresses many of its concerns.

Today: The Chippewa continue to grapple with poverty. Many have only basic education, and nearly half are unemployed for various reasons. The Turtle Mountain Reservation in North Dakota suffers from ongoing corruption within the tribal council, and the effects of the casino operated on its land have been mixed.

1910s: North Dakota's population boom wanes as poverty, low agricultural prices, and bank failures loom.

1980s: North Dakota's economy is hit hard by rising oil prices and a severe drought that begins in 1987.

Today: Despite economic improvements since the 1980s, much of North Dakota continues to struggle with drought conditions.

1910s: German-Russian and Norwegian immigrants, along with white-owned businesses, purchase Chippewa land.

1980s: Reservation boundaries remain stable, although Turtle Mountain Reservation is often considered overcrowded.

Today: The Turtle Mountain Reservation remains crowded, and some land has been developed for a hotel and casino.

Bibliography

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SOURCES

Erdrich, Louise, “Fleur,” in Esquire’s Big Book of Fiction, edited by Adrienne Miller, Context Books, 2002, pp. 358–72.

Ferguson, Suzanne, “The Short Stories of Louise Erdrich’s Novels,” in Studies in Short Fiction, Vol. 33, No. 4, Fall 1996, pp. 541–55.

Hoffert, Barbara, Review of Tracks, in Library Journal, Vol. 113, No. 14, September 1, 1988, p. 192.

Rosenberg, Ruth, “Louise Erdrich,” in Dictionary of Literary Biography, Vol. 152, American Novelists Since World War II, Fourth Series, edited by James Giles and Wanda Giles, Gale Research, 1995, pp. 42–50.

FURTHER READING

Peterson, Nancy, “History, Postmodernism, and Louise Erdrich’s Tracks,” in PMLA, Vol. 109, No. 5, October 1994, pp. 982–94.

Peterson examines Tracks through the lens of postmodern theory, suggesting that Erdrich struggles to integrate Native American history into a context where history and narrative are self-referential rather than representational.

Stookey, Lorena Laura, Louise Erdrich: A Critical Companion, Greenwood Press, 1999.

Stookey’s insightful companion to Erdrich’s novels offers clarification and analysis of the relationships and characters within Erdrich’s fictional universe.

Williams, Terry Tempest, “Facing the World without Land to Call Home: Tracks by Louise Erdrich,” in Los Angeles Times, September 11, 1988, Book Review Section, p. 2.

Williams commends the intricate detail in Erdrich’s novel in his review.

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