Commentary on Love Medicine Essay

Love Medicine Book Report

Throughout the past couple of weeks Ive been reading the novel Love Medicine, by Louise Erdrich. I cant say that this book has been the easiest to read, with Erdrichs unique writing style used from page to page. I cant say that Ive ever read any other literature written exactly like Love Medicine. Love Medicine doesnt follow the traditional plot line order of: introduction, exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution; the book doesnt even follow a chronological order. With that in mind it requires you to be more aware of what your reading and for the most part; what makes this book so challenging. Im not saying that Erdrichs literature is bad or sloppy in any way I just think that her different style of writing, in a way, induces a different style of reading.

After reading the book I felt that if it had been written in the traditional plot line I dont think that the book would have appealed to me as much. It allowed me to learn and understand the characters more, and necessitated deeper thought into the book .It opens, with what I feel, would have been the climax if it were told in the traditional plot line.

One of the most conflicting elements in which the way that this book was written, that made it such a challenging book to read is that there was no single defined climax depicted anywhere in the story. It allows you to decide where you think the climax is or if you feel that there isnt one at all, and other than making it difficult it also made unique in that way. In my opinion I think that there are multiple climaxes but a lot of them dont become climaxes until you read further in the book and gain background and different perspectives on the climax scene. I also think that all of the climaxes are associated with crossing the water. For example at the beginning of the book when June Morrissey freezes to death, The snow fell deeper that Easter than it had in forty years, but June walked over it like water and came home, (7). At first it didnt give the impression that it was an imperative scene to the understanding of the story because there was no background to her, she didnt seem to have any significant value to the story until you read further. Anther scene I feel deserves the title of a climax is the death of Henry Lamartine Jr. The whole chapter conveys so much emotion, mostly of the relationship between Henry Jr. and his half brother Lyman Lamartine. After Henrys experience in the war he was never the same person and was never happy. It wasnt that he wanted to be like that it was that he was unable to find that happiness after being in so much hate. I really enjoyed the symbolism used with the car always being in the same state as the relationship of Henry Jr. and Lyman. When Henry was in the war Lyman felt their relationship was fine, so was the car, when Henry came back and their relationship was falling apart, son was the car. When it seemed Henry was trying to fix their relationship, he was fixing the car, and when Henry drowned and their relationship ended, the car drowned with him. During Henrys death, again, crossing the water, is mentioned. I see hes halfway across the water already, and I know he didnt swim there but the currant took him.