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ENG-215 HW#4

1. My initial impression of Lipsha was that he was young, nave, and superstitious. He was not very well educated, but was eager to seem so. He thought he had an inborn healing touch. Given what had happened in the story to that point, I expected him to think his touch had an effect on Grandpa. 2. The love medicine that Lipsha prepares is the main focus of the story. The story is about why its prepared, how, how its administered, and its effects. Its central to the plot. It is related to Grandma who feels she needs the medicine to hold on to Grandpa, the love of her life. Its related to Lipsha because Lipsha has the healing touch and is therefore the most suited in the household to prepare medicine. It is related to the theme because in the end the medicine is not needed to love and to be loved, just understanding of ourselves and our loved ones. It may be considered a symbol because the love medicine is what Grandma and Lipsha initially believed killed Grandpa. So it is a symbol of meddling with fate and powers they cant control. The improper preparation of the medicine is what Lipsha believes took away his healing touch. So, it is a symbol of lack of faith. The medicine itself is an actual heart of a bird that mates for life. We consider the heart to be a symbol of love and of emotion. 3.

I think he is shaking with fear. He believes deeply in mysticism and supernatural power. He seems to be wary or at least reverent of whatever would have the power to do that. I find it more funny than awesome, that people would believe in supernatural power and that their belief is reinforced by something silly like that. 4. These stories are not really off the subject, as the subject is a story of the mystery of the unexplained and of superstition, but they do digress from the central story that Lipsha is telling. They break up the story as a retelling of a series of events. These stories are more backstory and they arouse expectations of more occurrences of mystical events. They serve to heighten the suspense before the medicine is administered. The stories also reveal how superstitious and willing to believe in the supernatural Lipsha and the rest of the community on the reservation are. These events are related to a theme in the story which is the power of belief and peoples fascination with things they cant explain. 5. The differences between how I feel and how Lipsha feels are present throughout the story. I tend not to be superstitious and dont believe in the irrational. This makes the story a little less relatable, but nonetheless poignant. This difference lends itself to the air of mystery with which the story is told, to the analysis of life and people that Lipsha does, and to the emotional tone of the story, because Lipsha believes what he is saying. 6.

Grandpas death deeply saddens Lipsha and Grandma, partly because they both feel responsible, but I dont see it as tragic. Grandpa was an old man who lived a full life and had started to become senile. In the end I dont think even Grandma and Lipsha see it as tragic. They both realize that they are not responsible for Grandpas death, that fond memories of him live on, and that they both still have each other. 7. I think that Lipshas description of an evil shortcut reinforce his faith in the old beliefs. The fact that Grandpa choked when Grandma tried to use the medicine, convinces Lipsha that his shortcut is what caused Grandpas death. He set himself up to believe in the power of the medicine. If it did work he would have more faith in the power of the old ways, and if it didnt, it was because of his evil shortcut. 8. Lipshas voice does seem to have changed in the final two paragraphs of the story. He seems more poetic in his description of the mystery of nature, his life, and his power. He seems more confident which may be because he is more assured of his grandmothers love and his love for her, rather than just being indebted to her.

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