Illusionary Women in Literature

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the writings of Anne Devlin, Louise Ehrdrich, Susan Power and Toni Morrisson and demonstrates how each of these writers have their female characters cope with the real trials of life by creating illusions.

From the Paper:

"In Susan Power's, The Grass Dancer, and in Louise Ehrdrich trilogy Love Medicine, Beets, and Tracks the two Native-American writers show how Native-American women use illusions to control their lives, and create a mental image of men they can not possess. Powers writes, "She pretended she was beside Harley Wind Soldier, blowing gently on his breastbone. She would cool him down only to heat him up. She would trace the outline of his ear with his soft fingers of breath, touching him without touching him" (P. 19). Charlene loves Harley, but Harley loves Pumpkin. When Pumpkin dies, Charlene creates an illusion in her mind that her grandmother, the witch Anna Thunder, caused the car crash that kills Pumpkin. Charlene uses this illusion to escape the confines of the tribe and make peace with her past."

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