In Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich I have most definitely noticed the motif of sexual nature as a form of power. It is interesting how this sexual power can be represented in different ways (e. g. as a biblical allusion or metaphor).
Erdrich has a way of expressing the power that sexual nature bears in a way that really conveys significance to the reader. Her vivid imagery lets the reader really feel the power that resides in all of our sexual nature.
Erdrich uses a water metaphor to embody sexual power. “I rolled with his current like a stone in the lake. He fell on me like a wave. But like a wave he washed away, leaving no sign he’d been there.” (Erdrich, 95) This quote is significant because it combines two themes, (sexual nature and water), and uses the power that water bears to explain a similar power of sexual nature.
Water is a motif in itself; a theme important in Native American Literature. Another representation of sexual nature is in a biblical allusion. “So I did for N ector Kash paw what I learned from the nun. I put my hand through what scared him…
.” (Erdrich, 166) In this quote we see a very different representation of sexual nature as compared with the water metaphor. The fact that the nun is mentioned in the quote brings together a biblical relationship to the power of the church and of faith itself. The way Erdrich is able to connect metaphors relates directly to the way she is able to connect characters in her novel. It is this intertwining of ideas, characters, and motifs that make Erdrich such a powerful writer.
The Essay on The Power Of Nature
The power of nature is one which cannot be described with a single blanket term. Jack London’s experience with the fierce Los Angeles earthquake differs greatly from that of Roger Ascham’s wintery horse ride account. Nature’s gentle serenity, utter magnitude and astounding impact even after a brief visit, have intrigued man for centuries. Jack London describes in depth the sheer ...
