1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Erdrich, Louise. The Birchbark House. Ashland, Oregon: Blackstone Audio, 2004. ASIN: B0001GDQKY
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Young Omakayas lives with her family on an island in the middle of Lake Superior among the Ojibwa tribe. Her childhood is full of the joys of nature, the love of her family, and the annoyances of her little brother Pinch until the hard, long winter comes and with it an unwanted and lethal visitor.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Listening to the audio version of The Birchbark House was both a joy and an indulgence. Some audiobooks can be on in the background while one goes about their lives and be absorbed just fine. But Nicolle Littrell's narration and individual character voices draw you into the story, the family's native language, and the beautiful natural descriptions that author Louise Erdrich depicts, which makes it impossible but to tune out the world and concentrate on the details of the story.
As a listener who is not well versed in Ojibwa tribe culture and names, I researched the spellings of characters' names and the native words the author used (Eldrich is a member of the Ojibwa tribe), so I could have a better appreciation of the way she integrated native words into her writing, because the Ojibwa vocabulary was a giant focus of how the young, female protagonist and narrator, Omakayas, relates her story to the reader. The Ojibwa language also is reiterated through many oral stories that her grandmother shares about the family's history. To understand the language, is to begin to understand the efforts of authenticity that Erdich put into her novel.
In addition to the plethora of native language, Omakayas is very particular about describing the importance of food and meals in her home. The hard work that it takes everyone on the island to prepare for a long winter in the middle of Lake Superior has everyone from a very young age tanning hides, harvesting rice, fishing, hunting animals, and mashing corn. Bannock bread, a dough cooked over a fire, plays a constant role in the book, as well as maple sugar. Winter in the north lasts almost six months. Planning to store that much food for a family of seven is no small undertaking, particular when Omakayas' father travels most of the seasons outside of winter with the voyagers to bring back animal pelts to trade with the general store.
But my favorite part of how Erdrich illustrated native traditions was in how Omakayas interacts with nature. She is a young girl in the book aging from 7 to 8 years of age, but it doesn't stop her from befriending two bear brothers, and trying to name her baby brother Neewo after birds. Nature calls out to Omakayas, similarly as it does to her grandmother Nokomis, and puts her on a path to become a healer. The use of natural life on the island isn't a stereotype that is often seen in Native American portrayals. Instead of viewing her family as environmentalists, it's very clear that the survival of the Ojibwa people depend on the plant and animal resources where they live. This isn't political, it is survival. But it does have a sense of humor. For example, Omakayas' family pet is a crow, Andeg, who picks up their language and chastises her brother, Pinch, whenever he causes trouble. Indeed the relationship between middle sister and middle brother is often strained, which many modern day children will be able to relate to, but it is not completely without hope.
Omakayas' day-to-day life and involvement with her family and their closeness is the focus of the novel, but there are also secrets to how she herself is special. Omakayas does not realize until white men visit their island and bring yellow fever to her community that she is a very special child. Erdich allows Omakayas to handle the situation in a very adult way that honors her family, as she works hard to make decisions that will keep them all together in this world or the next. The illness and the terror it instills in the whole island also introduces hatred for white men through the real fear elders feel. Relationships with white voyagers may bring some prosperity, but it can also be deadly.
The Birchbark House is the first book in a series, but it didn't need to be. This novel stands on its own just fine and does a beautiful job describing the work and love that went into the Ojibwa community. But I have to admit, my favorite character was Old Tallow, the old woman neighbor, who always held a special place in her heart for Omakayas, carried a gun, went through three husbands, and then surrounded herself with a pack of dogs. Old Tallow is described by Omakayas as being very tough and living outside of the normal social boundaries of women in her tribe. Yet, she was accepted either because of her grit or her talent as a hunter.
Unlike the other books I read for this unit, The Birchbark House is more focused on Native American women and their influence on culture and home life. It is also the oldest setting of the three novels that I read. I am glad that I listened to the audiobook, as I think the various voices and tones were wonderfully acted. There were many moments of playfulness and joyfulness that really attracted me to become emotionally involved with the characters. And I have to admit when yellow fever hits the island in the dead of winter, I cried. But don't let my sentiment put you off of the audio recording. I laughed at the antics of the children far more than I felt despair. I promise!
4. AWARDS and REVIEW EXCERPTS
National Book Award Finalist, 1999
From School Library Journal
"Based on her own family history, Louise Erdrich has crafted a richly textured historical novel. Nicolle Littrell's slow, clear narration is rich and inviting. Ojibwa words are smoothly woven into the narration, and their meaning is clear from the context."
From Kirkus Reviews
"With this volume, Erdrich launches her cycle of novels about a 19th-century Ojibwa family, covering in vivid detail their everyday life as they move through the seasons of one year on an island on Lake Superior."
5. CONNECTIONS
When the story starts, Omakayas is 7 years old. She is already helping her mother by learning how to tan moose skin and watch her baby brother -- home alone! As she ages in the story, she helps the family cook meals, cares for the sick, run errands, harvests rice, etc. Have the students in your room think about the chores they do at home and the purpose of them? Do they give them a sense of pride? Are they helpful to their parents? Do they honor their home the way Omakayas does? Is this part of their modern day culture?
Outside of the cultural similarities and differences, answer some basic questions like how hard is it to grind acorns? For younger children, this can be a great activity outside with a simple rock and acorn against blacktop, or if possible, bring in a mortar and pestle and have the children try grinding the acorns (you might need to give a helping hand to get them started). Also, as a math and science activity, how much food would their families have to collect to make it through six months of winter? How would it be preserved?
Food is a large part of Omakayas' life. Without farming, fishing, and hunting her small family would die. But she has a special food -- maple sugar. How is maple sugar turned into syrup? Is there a field trip near the school to go learn about the process? If not, is there an opportunity to make or share maple candy with your students?
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