Louise Erdrich's 'The Mighty Red' Is A Kirkus Nominee

Summary

Podcast Summary: Louise Erdrich's 'The Mighty Red' Is A Kirkus Nominee

All Of It is a thought-provoking WNYC podcast hosted by Alison Stewart, dedicated to exploring culture and its myriad influences. In the December 5, 2024 episode titled "Louise Erdrich's 'The Mighty Red' Is A Kirkus Nominee," Stewart delves deep into Louise Erdrich’s acclaimed novel, "The Mighty Red," through an insightful interview with the Pulitzer Prize-winning author.

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Overview of "The Mighty Red"

Louise Erdrich's latest novel, "The Mighty Red," is a compelling exploration of love, community, and environmental impact set in a small North Dakota town during the tumultuous years of 2000, 2008, and 2009. At its core, the story navigates a classic love triangle involving three teenagers:

• Gary: A jock recovering from a tragic accident, determined to marry Kismet.
• Kismet: A half Ojibwe woman torn between her commitment to Gary and her feelings for Hugo.
• Hugo: An intelligent, slightly awkward son of a local bookstore owner, striving to win Kismet's heart.

The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of the Great Recession, which reshapes the community and adds layers of economic anxiety and uncertainty to the characters' lives.

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Interview with Louise Erdrich

Inspiration and Setting

Alison Stewart (00:17): "At the center of Louise Erdrich's new novel is a classic love triangle..."

Louise Erdrich shares her initial motivations for writing "The Mighty Red." She sought to capture the essence of the Red River of the North, symbolizing both natural and emotional forces that are uncontrollable and overwhelming.

Louise Erdrich (01:27): "I wanted to write about the people living along the Red River. That's the Mighty Red, and it's the Red river of the North... And love that cannot be contained."
(01:27)

Erdrich emphasizes the river as a metaphor for the uncontainable nature of love and the unforeseen consequences that accompany it.

Character Dynamics

The heart of the novel lies in the intricate relationships between Gary, Kismet, and Hugo. Erdrich delves into the complexities of these teenage relationships, highlighting the economic pressures and personal struggles that influence their decisions.

Louise Erdrich (03:38): "He's terrified and he's desperate for her for a certain reason that you find out later."
(03:38)

Erdrich reveals that Gary's pursuit of Kismet is driven by deeper, more personal motivations tied to past traumas and the community's unease during the recession.

Themes of Race and Economy

The novel also touches upon racial dynamics and economic instability, subtly weaving these elements into the characters' interactions and the town's overall atmosphere.

Louise Erdrich (06:19): "She is very kind. She's been raised to be a kind person... hard headed and so is Kismet really."
(06:19)

While race is a facet of Kismet's identity as a half Ojibwe woman, Erdrich focuses more on her character's inherent kindness and resilience rather than overt racial conflicts.

Hugo's Role

Hugo represents the intellectual and emotional depth within the love triangle, embodying both the potential for genuine connection and the tumult of adolescent emotions.

Louise Erdrich (07:12): "He decides that he will persuade Kismet into adultery... he knows that she loves him."
(07:12)

Hugo's determination to win Kismet's heart introduces tension and conflict, illustrating the often confusing and messy nature of teenage relationships.

Alison Stewart (08:25): "Why couldn't they just be together?"
(08:25)

Erdrich responds by highlighting the complexities of teenage emotions and identity.

Louise Erdrich (08:33): "Nothing's simple, nothing's direct because you don't quite know... I didn't quite know my mind."
(08:33)

Portrayal of Teenagers and Family

Erdrich draws from her personal experiences as a mother of four daughters to authentically depict the teenage years, a time rife with uncertainty and growth.

Louise Erdrich (09:12): "I love writing teenagers... it's a time that it's not easy sometimes."
(09:12)

She underscores the mutual struggles and negotiations between teenagers and their parents, capturing the delicate balance of guidance and independence.

Gary's Trauma

Gary's character is shaped by a horrific accident that left him grappling with survivor's guilt and haunting memories, adding a layer of psychological depth to his persona.

Alison Stewart (10:05): "Gary was involved in some sort of horrible accident and it led to some deaths of kids in town. How is Gary affected by survivor's guilt or not?"
(10:05)

Louise Erdrich (10:28): "He is and isn't. He can't quite come to terms with... seeing people who were in that accident and being pursued sometimes."
(10:28)

Gary's inability to fully process his guilt affects his relationships and actions, making him a more complex and relatable character.

Environmental Themes

Beyond personal and relational dynamics, "The Mighty Red" delves into environmental concerns, particularly the ecological impact of sugar beet farming, which parallels the characters' struggles against uncontrollable forces.

Louise Erdrich (11:06): "I wanted to know the cost... the history of it and what it is now."
(11:06)

Erdrich investigates the environmental footprint of sugar beet production, highlighting issues like excessive gasoline consumption and coal-powered factories, thereby intertwining ecological awareness with her storytelling.

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Conclusion

The December 5 episode of All Of It offers a rich and comprehensive exploration of Louise Erdrich's "The Mighty Red," blending literary analysis with personal insights from the author. Through discussions on setting, character development, and thematic depth, listeners gain a profound understanding of the novel's intricate tapestry. Erdrich's ability to weave personal experiences with broader societal issues exemplifies her craftsmanship, making "The Mighty Red" a noteworthy addition to contemporary literature.

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Notable Quotes:

• Louise Erdrich (01:27): "River that cannot be contained, really. And love that cannot be contained."

• Louise Erdrich (03:38): "He's terrified and he's desperate for her for a certain reason that you find out later."

• Louise Erdrich (06:19): "She is very kind... hard headed and so is Kismet really."

• Louise Erdrich (08:33): "Nothing's simple, nothing's direct because you don't quite know... I didn't quite know my mind."

• Louise Erdrich (09:12): "I love writing teenagers... it's a time that it's not easy sometimes."

• Louise Erdrich (10:28): "He is and isn't. He can't quite come to terms with... seeing people who were in that accident and being pursued sometimes."

• Louise Erdrich (11:06): "I wanted to know the cost... the history of it and what it is now."

---

All Of It continues to serve as a cultural compass, providing listeners with in-depth conversations that illuminate the intricate layers of contemporary literature and the societal contexts that shape them.

Transcript

[WNYC Studios]

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[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. Book week continues. At the center of Louise Erdrich's new novel is a classic love triangle. There's Gary, a jock recovering from the fallout of a terrible accident. He's determined that his girlfriend, a former goth named Kismet, is the person who can save them. He proposes three times. Kismet, a half Ojibwe woman, is going places. College, her mom hopes. But something about Gary's persistence gets to her. She says yes to marriage, even though she's not really sure she loves him. She might actually have stronger feelings for a friend named Hugo. An intelligent but slightly dorky son of a local bookstore owner, Hugo is determined to win Kismet's heart, even if it means ending her marriage. All this takes place in a small North Dakota town in 2000, 2008, and 2009, as the recession starts to reshape the community. Also in this town, of course, are the parents of these teenagers who have lots of thoughts about what's going on. The novel is titled titled the Mighty Red, and it's a New York Times bestseller and a finalist for the Kirkus Prize. When she joined us to talk about the Mighty Red, I started by asking Louise what she first set out to accomplish when she started writing.

[Louise Erdrich]

You know, when you set out to write a book, all you want to accomplish is get the words on the page that are seething around in you, and you don't really. And I never know really what's going to come out of it. But I wanted to write about the people living along the Red River. That's the Mighty Red, and it's the Red river of the North. The river flows north, and because it flows north, the water above the very beginning, where this book is set hasn't thawed yet. So the thawed river runs into the ice and it floods. And the floods are so dramatic in the spring. Sometimes they've just covered sort of thousands of acres of farmland. And, you know, so that's what I'm writing about. River that cannot be contained, really. And love that cannot be contained.

[Interviewer]

You know, location, let's stay with location because it's set in Tabor, North Dakota. Seems like the adults are from Tabor and just never really left. What was it like to be in your mind, to be raised and to live in Tabor?

[Louise Erdrich]

Well, I was raised in a small town in North Dakota, so I knew that. But then I thought about what if I hadn't left, you know, and I was able to really think that through because I go back all the time. My mother, my brother, my sister, all of us go back. And it's quite a wonderful town. So we. A lot of people visit it because it has a wonderful zoo, although that doesn't appear in the book. Anyway, it wasn't hard to imagine what it would have been like to stay because I am there a lot.

[Interviewer]

At the center of the story is a reluctant engagement between two teenagers, Gary the jock, and Kismet. And Kismet takes her a while to say yes to Gary's proposal.

[Louise Erdrich]

Oh, yeah.

[Interviewer]

Even so, she seems very unsure. She's not sure about this at all. What does the future with Gary mean to Kismet?

[Louise Erdrich]

Well, because things happen with her family. I mean, this is set in 2008.

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Louise Erdrich]

And there's a tremendous economic feeling of anxiety and doom. And, you know, people are very worried. So part of his. It is economic. He's a wealthy farmer. He also is cool. Like, he has this cool, cool. He's a vibe about him kind of. Yeah, he's just got this vibe of, I am cool and I am confident and I can take care of everything. Actually, he's terrified and he's desperate for her for a certain reason that you find out later.

[Alison Stewart]

You know, initially it's Kismet's mom's, like.

[Interviewer]

I don't know about this.

[Louise Erdrich]

Oh, yeah. And it sort of.

[Alison Stewart]

Sort of sends Kismet towards him, Right?

[Louise Erdrich]

Well, a little bit, you know, and her mother really tries not to do that. All mothers know that anyone they oppose in their. Anything, basically, anything that you oppose is liable to set up the opposite result. Right. So she opposes, but it's a mistake, and she knows it right away.

[Interviewer]

But on Gary's side of the family, as you write here, with savage determination, she had planned the wedding. Winnie.

[Louise Erdrich]

Yeah. Gary's mother is. And this is. This is weird to everyone. Gary's mother is quite desperate for Kismet to marry her son, too. And why is that what people think? It has to do with the aftermath of something that happens, something very, very bad that happens. But nobody knows quite what's going on with them. And Winnie is a really loving mother. She really adores her son, so she will try to get Kismet, too. And it's strange, you know, to be corralled in by Gary's mom.

[Interviewer]

Gary is white, Kismet is Ojibwe. And at one point, Gary says there was something mysterious and magical about Kismet. And dating her helped Gary feel sane. He suspected it Was her Indian. Oops, Native American blood. Though he never mentioned it again after the first time. How does race factor into their relationship, if at all?

[Louise Erdrich]

Well, in this case with Gary and Kismet, he is not sure why it is that she's so got this, has this effect on him. So he tries to attribute it to maybe her background, you know, but it really is because she is very kind. She's a kind goth. She's a lapsed goth, but she's been raised to be a kind person. Her mother's hardworking, kind, thrifty. I mean, it has all these great virtues and she's also quite hard headed and so is Kismet really. But a number of other things which I don't want to give away happen that land her with Gary.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's enter Hugo, bring Hugo into the conversation.

[Louise Erdrich]

Oh, I love Hugo. You know, so many people identify with Hugo. I've been out. Oh, interesting on the tour here and I get more people who identify with Hugo than anyone else. And he's the nerdish kind of homeschool, gentle giant who's a kind of a.

[Alison Stewart]

Genius a little bit.

[Louise Erdrich]

Kind of a genius a little bit, but also a little bit like, I mean, he has no respect for anything. But he decides right off that he will persuade Kismet into adultery, which, you know, he sort of likes the word anyway because he's not even quite an adult. He's a bit younger than she is. Yes. Yeah. But he decides that he will go to the North Dakota oil fields, fake all his IDs, get a car and get up there and amass a fortune. He imagines a fortune coming out of like everybody imagined a fortune coming out of those fields, come back and just take her away. And he knows that she loves him.

[Alison Stewart]

Why did it have to be that complicated?

[Louise Erdrich]

I know.

[Alison Stewart]

Why couldn't they. Why couldn't they just be. Why couldn't they just be together? Not you as the author, but just in their world? Why couldn't they?

[Louise Erdrich]

Well, because, you know, teenagers are so complicated and nothing's simple, nothing's direct because you don't quite know. And this was me too. I mean, I didn't quite know my mind. And I thought, maybe I'm not feeling the feelings I'm feeling. Maybe the feelings I'm feeling are some feelings somebody else has or somebody else is telling me to feel. And it's very hard to sort all these things out. So things you need to teach. I love teenagers.

[Alison Stewart]

You like writing teenagers?

[Louise Erdrich]

I like writing teenagers. But yeah. And I've had four daughters. So I loved their teen years because I could see that happening and I loved being there for it. It's a time that it's not easy sometimes. And I mean, Crystal, the mother, for instance, does know that she's gotta stay really cool when she can't criticize Carrie. But at some point, she can't help it. You know, at some point you have to be who you are too with teenager and you can't. It's a sort of thing where you don't want to manipulate each other. But teens and parents are always trying to see where the give is in the other person.

[Interviewer]

All right, we've talked about kismet, we've talked about the marriage, we've talked about Hugo possibly interrupting the marriage. But I do want to mention that Gary was involved in some sort of horrible accident and it led to. Am I giving too much away? But led to some deaths of kids in town. How is Gary affected by survivor's guilt or not?

[Louise Erdrich]

Well, he is and isn't. I mean, he can't quite come to terms with the fact that he is going to be haunted and he doesn't know. So some of his guilt and his inability to take responsibility takes the form of actually. Of seeing people who were in that accident and being pursued sometimes. And he's. But he doesn't feel it around. Kismet. But however, I have to go back to Hugo. He's not going to just interrupt. He's going to be. He's like, I'm going to be a homewrecker. Yeah, that's where I am.

[Alison Stewart]

I'm going to wreck it.

[Louise Erdrich]

I'm going to burn it down. I want her. You know, and that's kind of what's fun about the book is that Hugo is like, no, no, I'm not having any of this. And he's a lot of fun to write, but it's also about, you know, sugar beets and the cost of the sugar we eat. And I'm a person with a sweet tooth, so I eat a lot of sugar. But I did want to know the cost. What is the cost? And I interviewed a friend who's a sugar beet hauler for the sugar company. And he had totaled up every one of his hauls, the mileage, the gallons used and the tonnage of sugar of sugar beets. So he came out with having used in 23 years about 30.5 tankers of gasoline to haul those sugar beets. And tankers each hold about 8,000 gallons of gas. So not only that, but There is, you know, hundreds of trucks hauling those beads, the beets, you know, the factories, the sugar factories are powered by coal. It's just an enormous amount goes into our sugar. I don't think that has to be that way. I think there's a lot of other things besides pesticides and oil that can be used. But I wanted to know, I wanted to know what was happening. You know, it just, it was really fascinating, the history of it and what it is now.

[Interviewer]

That was Pulitzer Prize winning author Louise Erdrich speaking about her latest book, the Mighty Red.

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[WNYC Studios]

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[Louise Erdrich]

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