Description Of

1. Discuss structure and narrative technique in Erdrich's novel.

The story being told by Nanapush is directed at his adoptive grand-daughter Lulu, daughter of the protagonists, Fleur Pillager. The aim of the story is to ensure that Lulu understands and accepts her past (i.e. her mother Fleur) and also to try to persuade her not to marry a man that belongs to the Morrissey family, sworn enemy of the Pillager and Nanapush families. The story of Fleur Pillager' life is further expanded through the story of Pauline, who seems to have followed Fleur as a shadow. Pauline's story creates a complex structure with a story within a story, where Pauline sometimes only tells the same story as Nanapush, but from a different perspective and sometimes adds information that Nanapush clearly is not in possession of. Her story being told in parallel makes the story less straight-forward, for one thing because she is such an extreme character and for another because as a reader it is difficult to understand who she is addressing her story to and how it fits in with the story that the grand-father Nanapush is relating to his grand-daughter Lulu. Probably it is addressed to us the readers.

Eldrich tells the story through the first-hand accounts of Nanapush (who is a respected person within the Indian community and as such has no desire to let go of the tradition and the old ways) and Pauline (who is an outcast and therefore seeks new allies outside of the Indian society and rejects tradition and the old ways). The two perspectives Ð'- pro-tradition and contra-tradition Ð'- are combined with a good Ð'- bad, light Ð'- dark perspective. The voice of pro-tradition (Nanapush) being portrayed in a very positive way and the voice of contra-tradition (Pauline) as dark, devious and at times mentally unstable.

2. Setting? Characters and their interdependence.

The setting is an Indian reservation in North Dakota. The story starts in 1912 and ends in 1924, although we understand that the story (at least that of Nanapush) is actually told to a his grand-daughter some ten, fifteen years later. The period covers a dark era in US history when Indians were not seen as part of the mainstream society and therefore were not included in the social safety net. Indians were dying like flies in deceases and through starvation. Their social structure was demolished and replaced by the mainstream societal rules and regulations that were foreign to Indians and created additional strain on the Indian society. Entrepreneurs and business men moved in and took over land in return for money, that they then took back through selling boose and candy (resulting in instant addiction for many Indians, who were not used to these products).

Fleur Ð'- Nanapush Ð'- Eli Ð'- Margaret

These characters try to hold on to traditions. Fleur is the last of the Pillager family and she is a tradition bearer, who feels responsibility for her heritage which is directly linked to her land, where her ancestors are buried (at the end also her prematurely born baby). "As the lone survivor of the Pillagers, she staggered now beneath the burden of a life she was failing to deserve" (178). She is "adopted" by Nanapush a respected Indian elder, who has lost his whole family. They bond through shared grief of their losses. Eli is a young man who falls passionately in love with Fleur. Nanapush (knowledgable about women) helps Eli win the love of Fleur. Eli moves in with Fleur and when Lulu is born (the result of a rape before Fleur met Eli) so does his mother Margaret. They stick together until the moment comes when Margaret has to choose between her ancestral land and Fleur's. She chooses her own (Kashpaw) and thereby causes the break-up of the family constellation of Fleur, Eli and Lulu.

Pauline Ð'- the Morrissey family

The character of Pauline does not really fit in anywhere. Bernadette Morrissey takes her on as free labour. She is depicted as an ugly, love-sick young woman who initially makes use of traditional magic to hurt Fleur Pillager by proxy (Sophie Morrissey + a traditional love potion is used as a tool to seduce Eli), thus making the Pillagers and the Morrissey families enemies. She finally finds her way into the convent which becomes a safe haven and evolves into a half-crazed, religious fanatic with a sole mission in the world i.e. to collect souls for her God and defeat the traditional Gods, which she feels she has done when she accidentally kills Napoleon Morrissey (in her version he was then possessed by the lake monster) "I believe that the monster was tamed that night, sent to the bottom of the lake and chained there by my deed (204). Her main target is Fleur Pillager who is rumoured to possess magical powers and be in contact with the lake monster Misshepeshu.

3. What Native American beliefs-- and superstitions-- surface in the novel?

The belief that a name is magical. It should not be disclosed to others or the soul of the bearer of the name can be lost.

The strong connection between the land and the ancestors. The dead continue to live on the land and when they die a new house is built for them, a burial house. They must be respectfully treated or they may come back to haunt the living.

The belief in the lake monster, Misshepeshu.

The belief that some families (like the Pillager's) have magical powers.

4. Is there a story of colonization in Tracks?

Definitely. The colonisers are the mainstream American society that is imposing its rules and regulations on the Indian society. It creates rules about land taxes and enforces payments in cash. All concepts that are non-existent in the Indian culture.