Trauma and Healing for Future Generations in Louise Erdrich’s LaRose

Louise Erdrich’s LaRose uniquely manifests her hope for future generations. LaRose deviates from Erdrich’s previous novels by focusing on an accidental killing of a young boy, Dusty. The death prompts Landreaux, along with his wife Emmaline, to make amends for this fatal accident by deciding to send their own son, LaRose, to the family devastated by Dusty’s death. Although this method of atonement is incomprehensible to the worldviews espoused in the larger, white culture, their decision is ultimately based on Ojibwe spirituality which allows the community of families to seek healing and harmony. LaRose, the central character, eventually plays the key role of unifying the two families as well as the whole community. In this way, Erdrich endows not only LaRose with the ability to facilitate reconciliation and healing but also other Native American youth with bravery and confidence to fight racial prejudice. Erdrich’s optimistic vision for the community and future generations is materialized in the novel that ends with a harmonious and conciliatory gathering, which shows how future generations can heal from enmity and trauma.