Love Medicine: Resurrection Summary & Analysis

In the days after Nector’s death, Marie spends most of her time cleaning the house. She goes through Nector’s clothes and books, deciding what to keep and give away, and finds his pipe in an old skin bag. The pipe pulls apart in two pieces, and Marie holds them in her hand before putting them back in the case where they are joined as one. Nector had told her that when the pipe is together, it connects heaven and earth. Marie decides to give the pipe to Lipsha.

In the kitchen, Marie begins to ready the corn for boiling when she sees Gordie walking up to the house. He is obviously drunk, and his clothes, which used to fit before he started drinking, hang off his wasting body. He sways back and forth before falling down into the grass near the back porch. Marie goes outside to Gordie and covers him with an old quilt. She flips him over so he is on his stomach, and she goes back into the house.

After a sleepless night, Marie can hear Gordie rummaging around in the kitchen. He is looking for the secret money she usually keeps hidden, but Marie has recently starting using a new spot. As Marie enters the kitchen, Gordie greets her and immediately asks for a shot of whiskey. She tells him that she doesn’t keep any liquor in the house, but he doesn’t believe her. He thought she took a little milk in her whiskey, he says, and as he moves closer to her, Marie picks up a small paring knife. Gordie again asks for a shot of whiskey, this time with anger, and goes to grab Marie. She reaches out with the knife and slices Gordie in the palm of his hand. He sits down, and she tosses him a rag to wrap his bleeding hand.

Outside, Marie stands on the porch watching as shadows pass over the trees she had planted. She loses track of time and doesn’t think to check on Gordie until she smells a strong chemical odor. She goes inside and finds Gordie in her storage closet with an empty bottle of Lysol and a loaf of white bread, jerking and seizing about the small room, knocking cleaners and waxes to the floor. He bounces out the door and down the hall to the bedroom, where he falls on the bed and continues to shake. Marie approaches him and can smell Lysol on his breath. She turns and leaves the room.

Marie goes to the kitchen and picks up the axe from near the stove. She sits at the table, holding the axe in her lap. She is exhausted and closes her eyes. Marie falls asleep and is suddenly startled awake. Her hands grasp the axe handle in her lap, and she looks down the hall to see Gordie moving in the bedroom. He stumbles toward the kitchen and stands in the doorway. Marie stands up, holding the axe at her side. Gordie disappears from the doorway, and Marie considers just opening the front door and telling him to leave. But Marie knows if she lets Gordie go, he will surely die. He is her son and she can’t bring herself to kick him out. Marie sits back at the table and holds the axe firmly in her lap.