Louise Erdrich's Poetry

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that Louise Erdrich is a great example of a Native American author who writes about themes and issues that are very close to her heart and uses many subtle techniques such as symbolism and the functions of non-protagonist characters to enhance her literature and to further convey points that she wants to make to her readers. Her poetry is examined in this paper, to point out these literary techniques.

From the Paper:

""Dear John Wayne" is an absolutely fascinating poem in which Erdrich uses symbolism and imagery masterfully to enhance the story. Early in the poem, Erdrich utilizes her skill with imagery give the reader an image of Native American men lying on the hood of a car at a drive-in movie theater and watching a giant image of John Wayne, the great cowboy, as he dominates a group of Indians. This is an obvious, yet clever display of symbolism, with John Wayne symbolizing the white American culture. John Wayne's image on the screen is described as being gigantic, and this certainly has relevance other than simply his physical appearance.'"

More papers on Louise Erdrich's Poetry:

• Poem Review # 1032 : "Louise Erdrich's Poem "Windigo"
• Comparison Essay # 90191 : "Literature Appreciation: Poetry, Drama and Prose"
• Comparison Essay # 4128 : "Gender Identity"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: