Michael Dorris

Paper Summary:

This paper examines Dorris's many contributions, focusing on establishing Native American Studies as an academic area of study, his popular novels and short stories on Native Americans and his opus on fetal alcohol syndrome, a book that examined a personal issue which cut across ethnicities and cultures.

From the Paper:

"Dorris was born in Louisville, Kentucky on January 30, 1945. He was the only child of Mary Bessy Burkhardt Dorris, who was of Swiss and Irish descent, and of Jim Dorris, who was of French, English and Modoc Indian heritage. He grew up in Kentucky and later spent time with his father's family in Tacoma, Washington and in various Indian reservations in the Pacific Northwest. In 1981, Dorris married Louise Erdrich, a former student who was also an author and also part Indian. Their large family included three adopted children and three biological children (Chavkin and Chavkin, xxii-xxiii). Though their marriage seemed to be the perfect literary partnership, Erdrich and Dorris's marriage was far from idyllic. During the last months of his life, the couple had separated and Dorris was exhibiting signs of severe depression."

More papers on Michael Dorris:

• Analytical Essay # 36054 : "The Broken Cord"
• Book Review # 66621 : "The Broken Cord"
• Analytical Essay # 27444 : "A Yellow Raft in Blue Water"

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