Fleur

A detailed Summary of Fleur

I chose to write a critical analysis on the American short story, Fleur, written by Louise Erdrich. I chose this story because I had never read anything by Louise Erdrich before. Also, as I read the introduction, I found out that she was part Native American, and I enjoy reading their literature. The title, "Fleur" also intrigued me as to what was behind that name. I assumed there must be something interesting to this story that the title is not telling me. I was not mistaken. I found Fleur to be a complex and intriguingly written short story.

Fleur, simple as the title may be, behind that name is a complex person with an entrancing personality and life-style. Erdrich's style of writing, irony, symbolism, and underlying themes all add to why Fleur was compelling to read. Erdrich was able to elaborate on part of America's history of the treatment of others. She also cleverly throws in some humor to lighten the seriousness of the story, which added to its readability. This magnificent story of a woman's instinct and struggle to survive after being shunned by her people, illustrates to readers that we should never underestimate the power of other individuals and that the power of t

art, rooted around as if it was following a certain scent, then it skipped... and bored down like a drill." This is just one of the many examples of metaphor usage throughout the text. What makes Erdrich's use of metaphors so unique is that she is not afraid to use them. The more metaphors, the better the mental image can be made. Erdrich also uses subtle humor throughout the story. The scene when Lily and the pig are "dancing" was absolutely hilarious to imagine. Again, her clever use of metaphors greatly enhanced that unforgettable scene.

he mind is more valuable than raw physical strength.

Erdrich also uses the strength of Fleur to show the reader that the world is not always dominated by the white male. Lily and the others let temptation get to them and it eventually consumed them, when they planned to attack Fleur. Ironically, in the end, even though there were more of them and physically stronger, Fleur's wit dominated them.

The many card games that were played also symbolize that the person with the better mental strengths and plans will prevail not only in card games but also in life in general. The extensiveness of the card games also show one must have endurance and patience in order to withstand life's many obstacles. The card games could also symbolize that life is like a card game. A person never knows what kind of hand they are going to be dealt, and if it's one you don't like it is sometimes wise to not let anyone know. Also, a person should pick a plan of action to follow in life that works for him or her, like Fleur's plan of how she was always able to win just $1 and be satisfied with that.

any control over. It was also ironic that the tribe would even consider letting go one of their stronger, female members when it would make more sense to keep her around. The image of the narrator is also ironic. We picture a tall, thin girl, who probably would not be able to defend herself, yet on page 734 the text states, "...I was no longer afraid of her, but followed her close, stayed with her, became her moving shadow that the men never noticed, the shadow that cou

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Approximate Word count = 1426
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English