Family ties and generic transgression in Louise Erdrich's fiction

Napier, Kathryn Frances (1999) Family ties and generic transgression in Louise Erdrich's fiction. MPhil(R) thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

The focus of my thesis is to consider the interaction between theme and form in Louise Erdrich's fiction, specifically Love Medicine, The Beet Queen, Tracks and The Bingo Palace. It occurred to me, after reading the tetralogy, that the maternal and paternal bonds were not subject to bloodlines; indeed, family ties in Erdrich's fiction, as is the case with Native American tribal family and clan structures, are much more fluid and inclusive. In conjunction with this, the structure of each of the novels seems to reflect the fluid nature of family structures represented. This led me to consider generic classifications particularly Erdrich's relationship with realist and magic realist trends; Alan Velie's article "Magical Realism and Ethnicity: The Fantastic In The Fiction Of Louise Erdrich", is particularly important to this discussion. Therefore, this thesis analyses representations of the family (the mother, father and children), representations of cultural identity (Chippewa and Western) and considers the novel form as the mediator of these representations.

• Item Type: Thesis (MPhil(R))
• Qualification Level: Masters
• Additional Information: Adviser: Susan Castillo.
• Keywords: American literature
• Subjects: P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General) > PN0080 Criticism; P Language and Literature > PS American literature
• Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Critical Studies > English Literature
• Date of Award: 1999
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1999-71611
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 17 May 2019 09:31
• Last Modified: 20 Oct 2022 17:38
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.71611
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/71611