The novels Love Medicine and Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich are filled with a multitude of characters. These characters are different from each other with their own struggles and problems, but are linked not only by blood but also by their shared cultural history. This cultural history is filled with oppressions and hardships that undoubtedly affect all generations, including current generations. Some of these issues include acculturation and assimilation, poor mental health, alcoholism, and domestic violence, all of which are major issues that Native Americans face today and these are all issues that Louise Erdrich addresses in his novels Love Medicine and The Plague of Doves. By examining the history of these problems, it is possible to better understand the source of these problems and the detrimental effects that Europeans had on Native Americans, namely the Chippewa tribe. Exploring the history of Europeans and Native Americans beginning with their first encounters is important because it is the beginning of the Chippewa's complicated relationship with Europeans and thus the complicated relationship with themselves. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayAccording to Encyclopedia Britannica “The Ojibwa were one of the largest indigenous groups in North America in the early 21st century ". It was in 1640 that Jesuits and French traders first contacted the Chippewa tribe. The Chippewa tribe previously traded among themselves and with other surrounding tribes such as the Mandan and Hidatsa tribes. The Chippewas had to depend on French fur traders as their resources became scarce. This was the beginning of the acculturation of the Chippewa tribe. “The fur trade deepened relationships between the Ojibway, Cree, and French traders, leading to marriages between them” (Britannica). Over time, the offspring of the Chippewa and Cree became known as “Mertis” or “Metchif,” another way of saying “mixed Native American and Euro-American.” Louise Erdrich herself was born to a European father and part Chippewa mother. She had already experienced the mixing of cultures from a young age and grew up to attend Dartmouth College and Johns Hopkins University. This awareness of white society definitely lends credibility to the issue of acculturation in Louise Erdrich's novels. Acculturation is defined by (Britannica) as “the processes of change in artifacts, customs and beliefs that result from the contact of two or more cultures”. . The term is also used to refer to the results of such changes. Two broad types of acculturation, incorporation and directed change, can be distinguished based on the conditions under which cultural contact and change take place. » Acculturation is described this way in Love Medicine through the stories and characters. For example, the chapter “The Tomahawk Factory” in Love Medicine. In this chapter, there is an obvious clash between Native American culture and the ideology of European society. Lulu even accuses her son Lyman of selling out. The Tomahawk Factory is a factory that sells Native American trinkets. Acculturation is evident here as there is a devaluation of Native American culture in favor of quick gain through mass production. In fact, the creator or “father” of the American industrial system was indeed an Anglo-American named Samuel Slater. It is also an example of assimilation which is defined as "the process by which individualsor groups of different ethnic heritage are absorbed into the dominant culture of a society” (Britannica). In this specific case, Lyman had to immerse himself in the capitalist culture of Anglo-American society in order to improve his financial situation. In Love Medicine and The Plague of Doves we see assimilation in the extreme. At the beginning of The Plague of Doves, we are told that "his human flock had taken up the plow and farmed among the German and Norwegian settlers. These people, unlike the French who mingled with my ancestors, had little interest in the indigenous women of the country and did not marry among themselves. In fact, the Norwegians disregarded everyone except themselves and were rather clannish. But the doves also ate their harvest.” In Love Medicine, it is the Chippewa who leave their home and assimilate into Anglo culture. In fact, Albertine doesn't just leave the house, she runs away. She lives as a nursing student and studies modern medicine as opposed to Native American “medicine.” The distance she put between herself and her Chippewa culture is particularly evident in her relationships. “Our relationship was like a file to be sharpened, and necessary in that sense,” Albertine says of her mother. This shows Albertine's disconnection with her heritage. It seems that she views returning home as an obligation, as opposed to a positive thing that many other Native Americans do, as shown in stories with a "coming home" plot. “The acceptance of the French fur trader had a social and psychological impact on Ojibway culture” (Britannica). Studies as recent as 2015 conclude that “mental illness plays a role in nearly 90% of suicides, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and that these conditions are often treatable.” In the case of the AIAN (American Indian and Alaska Native) community, mental health resources are scarce and do not always reach them” (Huffpost). Simply put, resources are limited for Native Americans suffering from mental health. Very often, these mental health problems are caused by Anglo-American society. One problem that can cause a lot of depression and other mental health problems would be the fact that "compared to the total population of the United States, more than twice as many Native Americans live in poverty" (mental health America) . Most Native Americans are poor. Native Americans suffer from PTSD and, often, drug and alcohol abuse. Many mental health issues, like PTSD, can be traced to historical trauma. “Historical Trauma Response (HTR) theory is based on the hypothesis that when people have experienced cultural trauma, the aftereffects can be passed down from generation to generation.” Often, there is no help or treatment for Native Americans when it comes to mental health. This leads to addictions and other problems, even death. In Love Medicine we see three mentally ill or ill people die and two of them commit suicide. Henry Lamartine Jr. commits suicide by jumping into the river and drowning and Gordie Kashpaw commits suicide, albeit unintentionally, by drinking Lysol when he was out of alcohol. “He was sick, sick again, blindly sick, banging on the shelves and overturning the flour bin, throwing himself towards the door” (259). Addiction is a mental illness that, if left untreated, could be passed down. Gordie's son King is also an alcoholic. “Among the behavioral traits that parents can pass on to their children is a predisposition to alcohol abuse and dependence. Among people who abuse.