Love Medicine

by

Louise Erdrich

Lulu’s uncle and one of Rushes Bear’s husbands. Nanapush rescues Lulu from the residential school, and afterward she comes to live with him. Nanapush and Rushes Bear have a rather volatile relationship, and she hates Lulu, but Rushes Bear can’t stay away from Nanapush for long. Nanapush is an old man, and he asks Lulu to bury him high in a tree when he dies, so he can see the government cars coming. Nanapush lives a traditional Native lifestyle despite the whitewashing of modern America, and like Eli and Moses Pillager, he represents “old-time traditional” Chippewa culture.

Nanapush Quotes in Love Medicine

The Love Medicine quotes below are all either spoken by Nanapush or refer to Nanapush. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Tribal Connection and Family Ties Theme Icon
).
The Island Quotes

“Although I lost my spirit to Father Damien six years ago, gambling at cards. I’d still like to walk away on the old road. So when my time comes, you and your mother should drag me off, wrap me up in quilts. Sing my songs and then bury me high in a tree. Lulu, where I can see my enemies approach in their government cars.”

Related Characters: Nanapush (speaker), Lulu Nanapush / Lulu Lamartine, Marie Lazarre / Marie Kashpaw
Page Number: 71
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Love Medicine LitChart as a printable PDF.
Love Medicine PDF

Nanapush Quotes in Love Medicine

The Love Medicine quotes below are all either spoken by Nanapush or refer to Nanapush. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Tribal Connection and Family Ties Theme Icon
).
The Island Quotes

“Although I lost my spirit to Father Damien six years ago, gambling at cards. I’d still like to walk away on the old road. So when my time comes, you and your mother should drag me off, wrap me up in quilts. Sing my songs and then bury me high in a tree. Lulu, where I can see my enemies approach in their government cars.”

Related Characters: Nanapush (speaker), Lulu Nanapush / Lulu Lamartine, Marie Lazarre / Marie Kashpaw
Page Number: 71
Explanation and Analysis: