Snares by Louise Erdrich, 1987
The magic trick:
Taking a story about community disagreement and inserting real threats of violence
We continue our week of Louise Erdrich stories.
“Snares” begins with church and a community disagreement. I don’t know if it’s the presence of an elderly grandmother at the center of the action, but my defenses were down. I assumed this community disagreement would involve emotions and family feelings like pride and embarrassment. Yes, but also…. real threats of danger and real acts of violence.
It’s harsh and a little bit frightening. But it makes for a heck of a story.
And that’s quite a trick on Erdrich’s part.
The selection:
“Margaret,” I said, “we are going to cut back.” My house was close, but Margaret kept walking forward as if she hadn’t heard.
I took her arm, caught Lulu close, and started to turn us, and Margaret would have none of this and called me a coward. She grabbed the girl to her. Lulu, who did not mind getting tossed between us, laughed, tucked her hand into her grandma’s pocket, and never missed a step. Two years ago she had tired of being carried, got up, walked. She had the balance of a little mink. She was slippery and clever, too, which was good because when the men jumped from the darkest area of brush and grappled with us half a mile on, Lulu slipped free and scrambled into the trees.
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