‭“The‬‭Medicine‬‭Bag”‬

‭ ead:‬‭Most‬‭Native‬‭Americans‬‭Live‬‭in‬‭C ities,‬‭Not‬‭Reservations.‬‭Here‬‭are‬‭Their‬‭Stories‬‭–‬
R
‭read‬‭the‬‭intro,‬‭and‬‭then‬‭select‬‭one‬‭of‬‭the‬‭“close-ups”‬‭to‬‭read.‬

‭ rite‬‭3‬‭take-aways‬‭when‬‭reading‬‭the‬‭article‬‭and‬‭the‬‭end‬‭of‬‭the‬‭story:‬
W
‭-Most‬‭Native‬‭Americans‬‭were‬‭forced‬‭into‬‭the‬‭city‬‭in‬‭order‬‭to‬‭be‬‭assimilated‬‭into‬
‭white‬‭culture‬
‭-Its‬‭difficult‬‭to‬‭stay‬‭in‬‭touch‬‭with‬‭your‬‭roots‬‭after‬‭people‬‭attempt‬‭to‬‭forced‬‭it‬‭out‬
‭of‬‭you‬
‭-This‬‭erasure‬‭of‬‭Native‬‭American‬‭culture‬‭and‬‭heritage‬‭makes‬‭it‬‭harder‬‭to‬
‭emphasize‬‭the‬‭struggles‬‭they‬‭face‬

‭Topic‬‭and‬‭Theme‬‭of‬‭“The‬‭Medicine‬‭Bag”:‬‭(10‬‭minutes‬‭-‬‭individual)‬
‭Topics‬‭of‬‭the‬‭Story‬

‭Theme‬‭of‬‭the‬‭Story‬ ‭(Story)‬‭by‬‭(author)‬‭conveys‬‭(message)‬‭by‬‭(evidence).‬

‭ he‬‭Medicine‬‭Bag‬‭by‬‭Virginia‬‭Driving‬‭Hawk‬‭Sneve‬‭conveys‬‭the‬
T
‭importance‬‭of‬‭embracing‬‭your‬‭heritage‬‭and‬‭culture‬‭despite‬‭it‬‭being‬
 ‭ ifferent‬‭from‬‭the‬‭other‬‭cultures‬‭you’re‬‭surrounded‬‭by.‬‭The‬‭author‬
d
‭conveys‬‭this‬‭by‬‭initially‬‭emphasizing‬‭Martin's‬‭embarrassment‬‭of‬‭his‬
‭Grandfather.‬

‭.‬

‭Characterization:‬‭(20‬‭minutes‬‭-‬‭groups)‬

‭Character‬‭(Highlight‬‭yours):‬
‭●‬ ‭Joe‬‭Iron‬‭Shell‬
‭●‬ ‭Martin‬

‭ ow‬‭are‬‭they‬
H I‭nitially,‬‭Martin‬‭is‬‭characterized‬‭as‬‭a‬‭kid‬‭who‬‭is‬‭embarrassed‬‭of‬‭his‬
‭characterized‬ ‭people‬‭and‬‭his‬‭culture‬‭because‬‭he‬‭has‬‭been‬‭assimilated‬‭into‬‭white‬
‭culture‬‭and‬‭is‬‭unaware‬‭of‬‭how‬‭others‬‭will‬‭react‬‭to‬‭his‬‭roots.‬‭The‬‭author‬
‭early‬‭in‬‭the‬ ‭emphasizes‬‭Martin's‬‭embarrassment‬‭in‬‭his‬‭people‬‭when‬‭she‬‭writes,‬
‭story?‬‭Provide‬ ‭“We‬‭never‬‭showed‬‭our‬‭friends‬‭Grandpa’s‬‭picture.‬‭Not‬‭that‬‭we‬‭were‬
‭examples.‬ ‭ashamed‬‭of‬‭him,‬‭but‬‭because‬‭we‬‭knew‬‭that‬‭the‬‭glamorous‬‭tales‬‭we‬‭told‬
‭didn’t‬‭go‬‭with‬‭the‬‭real‬‭thing.”.‬‭This‬‭shows‬‭that‬‭he‬‭dresses‬‭up‬‭his‬‭people‬
‭and‬‭culture‬‭to‬‭fit‬‭into‬‭a‬‭certain‬‭culture‬‭rather‬‭than‬‭his‬‭own.‬
 ‭ ow‬‭does‬‭the‬
H ‭ artin‬‭is‬‭prouder‬‭of‬‭his‬‭culture‬‭towards‬‭the‬‭end‬‭of‬‭the‬‭story‬‭as‬‭he‬
M
‭characterization‬ ‭notices‬‭his‬‭friends'‬‭approval‬‭of‬‭his‬‭grandpa.‬‭His‬‭grandfather‬‭also‬‭tells‬
‭him‬‭not‬‭to‬‭wear‬‭the‬‭medicine‬‭bag‬‭until‬‭he‬‭is‬‭in‬‭a‬‭place‬‭where‬‭people‬
‭shift‬‭over‬‭the‬ ‭would‬‭understand‬‭its‬‭significance.‬‭This‬‭allows‬‭Martin‬‭to‬‭no‬‭longer‬‭worry‬
‭course‬‭of‬‭the‬ ‭about‬‭people‬‭disapproving‬‭of‬‭it.‬‭He‬‭is‬‭able‬‭to‬‭grow‬‭a‬‭better‬‭appreciation‬
‭story?‬‭Provide‬ ‭for‬‭his‬‭culture‬‭rather‬‭than‬‭seeing‬‭it‬‭as‬‭a‬‭burden.‬
‭examples.‬

‭Conflicts‬‭–‬‭(5‬‭mins)‬‭:‬
‭What‬‭conflicts‬‭are‬‭present‬‭in‬‭the‬‭story‬‭(need‬‭multiple)?‬
‭●‬ ‭Man‬‭v‬‭man‬
‭●‬ ‭Man‬‭v‬‭self‬
‭●‬ ‭Man‬‭v‬‭society‬
‭●‬ ‭Man‬‭v‬‭nature‬
‭●‬ ‭Man‬‭v‬‭technology‬
‭●‬ ‭Man‬‭v‬‭supernatural‬

‭ xample:‬‭There‬‭is‬‭man‬‭versus‬‭society‬‭conflict‬‭present‬‭in‬‭Into‬‭the‬‭Wild‬‭→‬
E
‭McCandless‬‭is‬‭in‬‭conflict‬‭with‬‭societal‬‭norms‬‭which‬‭he‬‭disagrees‬‭with,‬‭such‬‭as‬
‭a‬‭desire‬‭for‬‭materialism.‬

‭Symbolism:‬
‭What‬‭is‬‭the‬‭symbolism‬‭of‬‭the‬‭medicine‬‭bag?‬‭Does‬‭it‬‭shift‬‭over‬‭time?‬
‭Putting‬‭it‬‭Together:‬
‭ fter‬‭identifying‬‭shifts‬‭in‬‭characterization,‬‭conflicts,‬‭and‬‭symbolism,‬‭analyze‬
A
‭how‬‭these‬‭contribute‬‭to‬‭the‬‭themes‬‭which‬‭we‬‭determined‬‭earlier?‬

‭ ullet‬‭points‬‭are‬‭fine‬‭for‬‭this,‬‭but‬‭they‬‭need‬‭to‬‭be‬‭detailed‬‭.‬‭I’ve‬‭provided‬‭a‬
B
‭model‬‭below‬‭this‬‭box.‬

‭●‬ I‭n‬‭“The‬‭Medicine‬‭Bag”‬‭by‬‭Virginia‬‭Driving‬‭Hawk‬‭Sneve‬‭conveys‬‭the‬
‭importance‬‭of‬‭embracing‬‭your‬‭heritage,‬‭culture,‬‭and‬‭people‬‭despite‬‭it‬
‭being‬‭different‬‭from‬‭a‬‭culture‬‭you’ve‬‭been‬‭assimilated‬‭into.‬‭The‬‭author‬
‭conveys‬‭this‬‭by‬‭emphasizing‬‭Martin's‬‭initial‬‭embarrassment‬‭of‬‭his‬
‭grandfather‬‭when‬‭he‬‭makes‬‭his‬‭grandfather‬‭seem‬‭like‬‭someone‬‭he's‬‭not‬
‭so‬‭that‬‭he‬‭fits‬‭the‬‭culture‬‭of‬‭the‬‭white‬‭people‬‭around‬‭him‬‭rather‬‭than‬‭his‬
‭own.‬
‭●‬ ‭Initially,‬‭Martin‬‭is‬‭characterized‬‭as‬‭a‬‭kid‬‭who‬‭is‬‭embarrassed‬‭of‬‭his‬
‭people‬‭and‬‭his‬‭culture‬‭because‬‭he‬‭has‬‭been‬‭assimilated‬‭into‬‭white‬
‭culture‬‭and‬‭is‬‭unaware‬‭of‬‭how‬‭others‬‭will‬‭react‬‭to‬‭his‬‭roots.‬‭The‬‭author‬
‭emphasizes‬‭Martin's‬‭embarrassment‬‭in‬‭his‬‭people‬‭when‬‭she‬‭writes,‬‭“We‬
‭never‬‭showed‬‭our‬‭friends‬‭Grandpa’s‬‭picture.‬‭Not‬‭that‬‭we‬‭were‬‭ashamed‬
‭of‬‭him,‬‭but‬‭because‬‭we‬‭knew‬‭that‬‭the‬‭glamorous‬‭tales‬‭we‬‭told‬‭didn’t‬‭go‬
‭with‬‭the‬‭real‬‭thing.”.‬‭This‬‭shows‬‭that‬‭he‬‭dresses‬‭up‬‭his‬‭people‬‭and‬
‭culture‬‭to‬‭fit‬‭into‬‭a‬‭certain‬‭culture‬‭rather‬‭than‬‭his‬‭own.‬
‭●‬ ‭As‬‭the‬‭story‬‭progresses,‬‭the‬‭characterization‬‭of‬‭Martin‬‭shifts.‬‭His‬‭friends‬
‭do‬‭not‬‭judge‬‭his‬‭grandfather‬‭at‬‭all‬‭which‬‭seems‬‭to‬‭take‬‭pressure‬‭off‬‭of‬
‭Martin.‬‭His‬‭grandfather‬‭carries‬‭a‬‭medicine‬‭bag‬‭around‬‭his‬‭neck‬‭and‬‭gives‬
‭it‬‭to‬‭Martin‬‭to‬‭wear,‬‭but‬‭only‬‭if‬‭he‬‭is‬‭ready‬‭to‬‭wear‬‭it‬‭around‬‭people‬‭who‬
‭care‬‭for‬‭and‬‭understand‬‭his‬‭culture.‬‭After‬‭his‬‭grandfather‬‭passes,‬‭Martin‬
‭wears‬‭the‬‭medicine‬‭bag,‬‭exhibiting‬‭his‬‭new‬‭found‬‭appreciation‬‭for‬‭his‬
‭culture.‬
‭●‬ ‭Ultimately,‬‭the‬‭story‬‭uses‬‭a‬‭grandson's‬‭relationship‬‭with‬‭his‬‭Culture‬‭and‬
‭Family‬‭to‬‭represent‬‭the‬‭disconnect‬‭between‬‭Native‬‭Americans‬
‭assimilated‬‭into‬‭white‬‭culture‬‭and‬‭their‬‭family‬‭members‬‭before‬‭them.‬
‭However,‬‭it‬‭also‬‭shows‬‭that‬‭reconnecting‬‭them‬‭is‬‭possible‬‭if‬‭they‬‭are‬
‭educated‬‭and‬‭expecting‬‭of‬‭their‬‭culture‬‭and‬‭people.‬
‭Analysis‬‭Bullet‬‭Points‬‭of‬‭“The‬‭Shawl”‬

‭●‬ T ‭ heme:‬‭In‬‭“The‬‭Shawl”,‬‭Erdrich‬‭expresses‬‭the‬‭power‬‭of‬‭reshaping‬‭stories‬
‭in‬‭native‬‭communities,‬‭and‬‭the‬‭influence‬‭of‬‭turning‬‭victimization‬‭into‬‭a‬
‭source‬‭of‬‭empowerment.‬‭She‬‭does‬‭so‬‭through‬‭the‬‭story‬‭of‬‭the‬‭daughter‬
‭being‬‭sacrificed‬‭to‬‭the‬‭wolves.‬
‭●‬ ‭Early‬‭in‬‭the‬‭story,‬‭the‬‭daughter‬‭is‬‭clearly‬‭the‬‭victim‬
‭○‬ ‭She‬‭is‬‭the‬‭care-taker‬‭for‬‭the‬‭younger‬‭sibling‬
‭○‬ ‭She‬‭does‬‭not‬‭receive‬‭equal‬‭affection‬‭from‬‭her‬‭mother‬
‭●‬ ‭The‬‭story‬‭is‬‭framed‬‭so‬‭that‬‭the‬‭daughter‬‭is‬‭the‬‭victim‬‭of‬‭the‬‭mother’s‬
‭choice‬‭to‬‭sacrifice‬‭her‬‭to‬‭save‬‭the‬‭baby‬
‭●‬ ‭As‬‭the‬‭story‬‭progresses,‬‭the‬‭narrator‬‭rethinks‬‭the‬‭story‬
‭○‬ ‭Instead‬‭of‬‭the‬‭daughter‬‭being‬‭the‬‭victim,‬‭she‬‭might‬‭instead‬‭be‬‭the‬
‭hero‬‭who‬‭chose‬‭to‬‭sacrifice‬‭herself‬‭for‬‭the‬‭benefit‬‭of‬‭the‬‭mother‬‭and‬
‭the‬‭child‬
‭●‬ ‭Ultimately,‬‭the‬‭story‬‭of‬‭the‬‭daughter‬‭serves‬‭as‬‭a‬‭representation‬‭of‬
‭reshaping‬‭stories‬‭as‬‭a‬‭whole.‬‭It‬‭serves‬‭as‬‭a‬‭parallel‬‭to‬‭the‬‭native‬
‭communities‬‭that‬‭were‬‭victimized‬‭through‬‭forced‬‭movement,‬‭but‬‭have‬‭a‬
‭new‬‭opportunity‬‭as‬‭they‬‭acknowledge‬‭the‬‭generational‬‭trauma‬‭that‬
‭influences‬‭their‬‭communities.‬