2. Questions to Consider Where is Erdrich from geographically and culturally? What did she study? What are some of her famous works? What message was Erdrich trying to send in Fleur? How was the character Fleur a representative of this message?
3. History and Background Born June 7, 1954 Grew up in Wahpeton, North Dakota Her mother was French Chippewa Her father encouraged her writing as a child, paying her a nickel for each story Entered Dartmouth College in 1972, participating in a Native American studies program
4. History and Background Cont… Married the program director, Michael Dorris There relationship ended in separation in 1997 and he later committed suicide She won prizes for both poetry and fiction Worked many jobs including teaching poetry at prisons, editing a Boston Indian Council newspaper, and construction work After deciding to be a full time writer, she earned an M.F.A. degree at John Hopkins
6. Famous Works Love Medicine (first novel) The Beet Queen The Antelope Wife A Plague of Doves Dear John Wayne (poetry) I Was Sleeping Where the Black Oaks Move (poetry) Grief (poetry) Fleur (summary to follow)
7. Awards O. Henry Award, for the short story "Fleur" Pushcart Prize in Poetry Western Literacy Association Award Guggenheim Fellowship National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, for Love Medicine World Fantasy Award, for The Antelope Wife Associate Poet Laureate of North Dakota, 2005 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, for the children's book "The Game of Silence"
8. Summary: An Interview With Fleur How did the incident at Lake Turcot start? I was only a girl when Idrowned in Lake Turcot, which is located in Native American reservation in North Dakota. Two men dove in and saved me and, not long afterward, both disappeared.
9. Interview Cont… Was this the only incident at Lake Turcot? No, I fell in the lake again when I was twenty, but no one was willing to help. One man approached me when I washed onshore, so I cursed him, telling him that he will die instead of me. He drowned shortly thereafter in a bathtub. Men stayed away from me after that, believing that I was dangerous and that the water monster Misshepeshuwanted me for himself.
10. Interview Cont… What happened at Kozkas Meats? Well that’s where I work. One day I sat down for a game of cards uninvited. I borrowed 8 cents at the beginning of the game and thereafter continued to beat the men at there own game. They didn’t think highly of this. It lead to Lily chasing me down, beating, and raping me. A storm then comes through, demolishing the store and killing the three men.
11. Theme of Fleur The main theme of Fleur is female power. Fleur seems to draw this power from ancient Chippewa spirits, medicines, and charms, as well as her sexuality. She is not afraid of the men in the story and she is not afraid to let them know it.
