Love Medicine Character Analysis

It is often said that perception is reality. In Louise Erdrich’s novel, “Love Medicine,” this is not entirely the case. Lipsha Morrissey is a young man adopted by whom he calls his “Grandma” Marie Kapshaw. Marie in all appearances is what some would call “super-mom.” Tending to the needs of everyone around her, with the perception of a domestic goddess, most women aspire to be, with her strength clearly displayed. Lipsha’s real grandmother, Lulu, on the other hand, appeared to be unconventional in her attitudes and considered by many not to have the strength for self-discipline. While both women have strength, Lulu’s magical strength when compared to Marie, comes from within, and not seen by the casual observer. Dead on, Rushes Bear summed up Marie's strength best with, “ You never heard any wail out of her, any complaint. You would never …show more content…
If Nector could have only combined the women, he would have the perfect woman for himself. Nector may have been one of the first to adore Lulu, but he certainly wasn’t one of the last. Nector was daydreaming about Lulu when Marie escaped the convent and ran into him; this event changed the direction of all three of their lives. After the encounter with Marie, Nector thought, “ because I am saving for the French-style wedding band I intend to put on the finger of Lulu Nanapush, I do not let Marie Lazarre go down the hill” (63)
Although it appears that this hurt Lulu she called on her inner strength and “shrugged Nector off, threw him out of my life” (73). Lulu’s intuition also caused her to realize that “It took Marie to grow him up” (73). Alternatively, Marie hung onto him with her outer strength “I had plans…dragged him back each time he drank, and tied him to the bed with strong ropes “ and “I had decided I was going to make him into something big on this reservation” (88). Marie so longed for the appearance of strength that she thought that the other woman would