THOMAS MATCHIE Miracles at Little No Horse: Louise Erdrich’s Answer to Sherman Alexie’s Reservation Blues At first glance anybody who has read a novel by the Native American (Spokane) writer Sherman Alexie and one by Louise Erdrich (Chippewa) ‘would conclude that their literary styles are about as far apart as imagin- able, Alexie was raised in a context of popular culture, his fiction resem- bles a series of film clips, and his dialogue is filled with colloguial, off- color diction. Spokane critic Gloria Bird says his work is “the product of the techno-gensration, clever... but not the serious literature itis cracked up to be” (“Indian Spike Lee” 67). Recently, he said he was not an elitist but that he writes for young kids raised as he was on a reservation (“the res”) ("What It Means” 33). By contrast, Erdrich matured as a writer pri- ‘marily in an academic setting, and her fiction, though it often breaks down into separate stories, is always embedded in language that is highly poetic, mystical, and ambiguous. She is popular like Alexie but in a dif- ferent sense, for her audience includes a wide spectrum, mostly adults, though she also writes for children, captivated by the Chippewa mytholo- zy that hovers in the background of her tales, Stil, if there is such a thing as literary continuity, Alexie’s fiction is not lost on Erdrich. Though he might call her an elitist she sees him as ‘one of a “new generation of Native American writers” whom she greatly admires (Spillman). Moreover, my contention is that her recent novel The Last Report on the Miracles at Litle No Horse (2001) is a resounding ‘echo of Alexie’s Reservation Blues (1995), One reason is that thematical- ly they are both about music. Reservation Blues is about the success, of failure, of a rock band, Coyote Springs. The protagonist of Little No Horse is a German woman who plays, of all things, classical piano, a tal- cent that “saves” her on the reservation. Both novels also feature a priest 1ston the reservation and the role of that individual, for better or for worse, in the lives of American Indians But more than anything else, these two novels are about enhancing what is truly spiritual from a Native (rather than white) perspective through the vehicle of awoman. Alexie inttoduces a Native though larg- cr than life, indeed, mythic figure called Big Mom. She is music teacher, historian, and spiritual counselor who virtually becomes a priest, advising and inspiring Coyote Springs in its search for meaning beyond economic success, In Erdrich’s novel, Agnes DeWit impersonates a Catholic priest at Little No Horse where she not only serves the people well, Bt comes to appreciate Chippewa spirituality as a parallel if not substitute for her Chistian thinking. For Ascher-Welsh, Fr. Damien is caught between “the word of God and whispers of ancient spirits” (111). Because of this dilemma, Erdrich’s contribution in Little No Horse, which like Reservation Blues involves non-Native (in this case Catholic) myth, is deeper and wider than Alexie's novel, but not before playing off on the musical, priest-centered, female, mythical texture of Reservation Blues. Let's take the music first. When Alexie wrote Reservation Blues, he introduced something new in Native writing—a novel structured on ‘music. It is interesting that the rock group Coyote Springs is related to a black myth, that of Robert Johnson, who sold his soul to the Devil (the Gentleman) in exchange forthe ability to master his magic guitar. In the novel, Johnson gives the guitar to Thomas Builds-the-Fire, who becomes, the band’s leader. ‘Thomas then gives it to Victor (who by implication becomes the ward of the Devi), while Victor's friend Junior accompanies ‘on the drums. Johnson then retires to a mountain to be healed by Big ‘Mom, that other mythic creation of Alexie's. After some success (Coyote ‘Springs wins a $1000 prize in a Seattle battle of the bands). the group is, invited by Sheridan and Wright Records to New York, but here they fail when the devilish guitar goes wild on Victor. After this Junior commits suicide and Thomas, with a few members of the band, leaves the reservar tion. Leslie Silko, praises the book because, like Sinclair Lewis's Babbitt, itis a satire on the illusion of success “in @ greed-driven world” (856). In Little No Horse Erdrich, like Alexie, introduces music, in this case classical piano—not something one would likely associate with Indian culture. Early on we meet Sister Cecilia, a nun with a mystical passion for Chopin. But Cecilia, really Agnes DeWitt, a Swabian Catholic, is so intensely, indeed erotically, devoted to her art that she often plays nude. Eventually, Agnes leaves the convent to live witha farmer, Berndt Vogel, with whom—after she purchases a piano—she becomes erotically involved. Erdrich says that for her the word “erotic” is much more inelu- sive and embracing than the merely sexual (HC Guide 6), though it cer- tainly includes sex. For this author, certain crucifixes can be “strangely is2totic” (Stoughton E2). ‘Then one day in Pargo, Agnes happens onto a bank robber dressed as a priest; she calls him "The Actor” (27)—some thing she herself is destined to become. He eses her as a shield, but he is foiled by farmer Berndt, who follows the get-away car on his horse. Both ‘men die in an earthy skirmish; Bernét smothers the bank robber in the rus for killing his horse, after which Agnes finds herself alone on and with the farm, as wel a the money from the bank robbery. Here a priest, Fr. Damien Modeste, visits her on his way to Little No Horse. By the: way, in an afterword, Erdrich accounts for her novel's ttle as @ eombina- ion of fragments of postets or signs depicting a mythical horse (306) But it may also have a connection to Alexie where many horses are slaughtered by Generals Sheridan and Wright in the 1880s, and itis the horses’ continuing screams that profoundly influence Big Mom. Tn Liele No Horse, because of a seemingly little event—the loss of Bernét’s horse (Go there is no horse)—followed by Berndt’s death and later that of the real Fr. Damien, Agnes’s future course om the reservation is determined, ‘When the Red River floods—a common occurrence in the Red River Valley, but also for Erdrich a re-enactment of an Anishinabe creation story—Agnes is swept away with her piano, only to discover the body of Fr. Damien. In a turnabout equal to her eatlier experience with “the actor” at the bank, she takes on Damien's persona and thus becomes an actor herself, the father (or sister) confessor at Litle No Horse. At least ‘one criti claims that such a metamorphosis involves “a stunning decision \we never fully understand” (Ascher-Walsh 111). Tn any ease it generates, kind of thriller, as bizarre as itis funny. And it sets up a complex suc- cess story (spiritual rather than economic), that, chough different from Reservation Blues, mirrors many of its key elements. Erdrich’s story may seom uarealistc, ut Kathy Read observes that her stories are “historically documented” (E2). ‘The ood isa case ia pot, but a woman priest is not unthinkable, though Erdrich admits that such metamorphosis gives the book a “feminist aspect” (Gray), In her research for Pope Joan (1996), Donna Cross argues that not only is there evidence for a female pope in the 9th century, but also that historically many women have fulfilled key roles by taking on the dress of a male (420), So the relationship of female to priest is crucial in both novels, shouge i Reservation Blues the notion involves a male and female, while in Litle No Horse, a woman plays both roles. In Alexio's novel there is a male priest Fr Amold. He is believable, but he is a weak man, a dream- er, not a visionary. We learn of his history, including the fact that he comes to the priesthood after various life experiences, including sexual ones. He wants to do well, but he envisions this tak in very general and often self-serving terms. He wants to “save chem at” ({63), but there is little spiritual connection between him and the major characters, most of 153