30 Louise Erdrich (1954–)

Abstract

This chapter analyzes two of Louise Erdrich’s short stories, “Fleur” and “The Butcher’s Wife,” both published in The Red Convertible: Selected and New Stories, 1978-2008 (2009). The short stories exemplify Erdrich’s exploration of her mixed Native American and European American heritage alongside their respective oral and written traditions. They were published both as independent short stories and as chapters or parts of her novels, which highlights the cyclical nature of Erdrich’s writing.When read together, these two short stories show how Erdrich successfully explores and navigates relatable Native and non-Native American experiences within their respective “re-publications.” This chapter discusses the two short stories in- and outside of Erdrich’s broader literary works and argues that the shift in focus from Native American to European American stories within the fictional setting of her works defines Erdrich not as a mainly female Native American author, but as a distinct American storyteller who connects communities outside geographical and ethnic or racial boundaries.