Ecological Perception in Louise Erdrich’s Love Medicine

Abstract

One of the most influential, successful, and prolific Native American authors today is Louise Erdrich. Love Medicine, which depicts the life of Chippewa Indians living on reservations and demonstrates the irreparable and catastrophic impact that white people have had on Indian tribes, is considered to be her most emblematic work. Native Americans endured great suffering and the living conditions on reservations were severely damaged, but they never gave up. Instead, they banded together and made the most of their intimate connection to nature to restore the balance between men and women and between man and nature. This essay examines the interconnected and unbreakable bond between traditional Indians and their lands to highlight Native Americans’ ecological consciousness and provoke discussion of the current ecological catastrophe.