The Medicine Bag: Appropriateness of the Title
Question : Do you consider “The Medicine Bag” as an appropriate title for the story by Virginia Drive Hawk Sneve ? Give reasons to support your answer.
Answer: Yes, “The Medicine Bag ” is an extremely appropriate title for the story.
On the surface, it refers to the small leather pouch that Martin’s great grand father carries and eventually passes to Martin. This bag contains sacred items that hold spiritual power and protection in Sioux culture. But it is not just a physical object, it is the central symbol around which all the story’s themes revolve.
The title has much deeper significance because the medicine bag symbolises the entire weight of family responsibility, culture heritage and ancestral tradition.
The medicine bag is the most important symbol in the narrative, representing the family’s legacy, culture,tradition and values. It is a spiritual talisman that connects the generations.
The bag’s origin story tied to the great great grandfather’s vision quest and his discovery of a piece of a white man’s iron kettle, is a foundation of the family’s history and even their name, Iron Shell. This heirloom is meant to be passed from father to son and the entire plot is set in motion by this tradition.
Grandpa’s difficult journey from the reservation to Iowa is driven by his duty to pass the medicine bag to Martin, his only male heir, because he feels his death is approaching.
Throughout the story, Martin’s feelings about the bag change from shame and embarrassment to pride and respect. His journey with the medicine bag mirrors his personal growth.
Martin’s internal conflict and character development are also centred around the bag. Initially he is horrified by the “dirty leather pouch” and fears the ridicule it might bring, which reflects his rejection of his own heritage. However as he learns its history, his perspective changes.
The climax of the story is the moment he accepts the bag from his Grandpa. This act signifies his coming – of – age and his honourable acceptance of his identity and responsibilities.
The story concludes with Martin on the reservation completing the rituals by placing sacred sage in the bag, thus confirming his commitment to his legacy. Because the medicine bag is a catalyst for the story’s main events.
Without the medicine bag, there would be no reason for the unexpected visit of Grandpa, no conflict and no resolution for Martin’s internal struggle.
The title is effective because it immediately tells readers that this story concerns Native American culture and traditions. It promises a story about something important and different from typical American fiction.
The medicine bag becomes a symbol connecting past to present, great grandfather to great grandson, tradition to modernity and the reservation to the city. By using this title, Sneve draws attention to the value of cultural heritage and the importance of passing down traditions between generations.
The simple title contains layers of meaning that unfold as readers move through the narrative.
Logic Based Questions :
Question : Complete the sentence by providing a reason for each :
1. Martin who lived in the city did not know the reality about the Indians because  his idea about Indians were based on television shows shown on television and other media about native American lifestyle only.Â
2. Martin never showed his Grandpa’s picture to his friends because he had created a glorious and stereotypical image of his Grandpa in front of his friends which did not match him in reality.
3. Martin thinks that his friends would have laughed at Grandpa’s picture because his Grandpa wasn’t tall and stately like TV Indians. His hair wasn’t in braids but hung in stringy grey strands on his neck and he was old. He didn’t live in a tepee but the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota.
4. Martin says, “I was so ashamed and en I could have died” because his Grandpa visited their house suddenly and all his impressive features about his Grandpa which he narrated to his friends will crash with reality.
5. ” Now it sounded as if a whole pack of mutts were barking together in one place ” Martin says this because all the small poodles and little dogs of their neighbourhood usually barked by themselves at the mailman from inside their own yards. But this time it sounded as if they were barking together at one spot.
6. Why was Grandpa’s get – up not out of place on the reservations, but it sure was there where Martin lived ?
Grandpa was wearing a rumpled black suit and a bright red satin shirt with a beaded bolo tie under the collar. His grey hair straggled from his big black hat. His outfit seemed normal on the reservation but was completely out of place here in modern urban society.
7. At first, Martin seems to dislike the Grandpa’s visit to his place but after a few moments he guides the Grandpa to his house because when he shook his hand with Grandpa, he felt his bony hand trembling with exhaustion and he saw fatigue on his face, Martin decided to guide Grandpa home to make him take rest as soon as possible.
8. Grandpa’s shoes fit him very tight because it was the scuffed old cowboy boots stuffed with money.
9. Grandpa had saved one hundred dollars because he saved that money for his funeral. He was ready to part the money to buy groceries for Martin’s family because he doesn’t want to be their burden.
10. Martin’s Dad felt sorry because he had never thought of bringing Grandpa to Iowa to spend summer with them.