Antelope Woman

What do you make of the proliferation of twins in the novel? Why are there so many pairs of twins, and what significance do they have to the narrative and its themes?

How does this novel depict gender and Indigenous identity? In which ways do the female characters struggle? How does the author also suggest that Ojibwe women remain strong and resilient in the face of difficulty?

What is the role of myth, legend, and folklore within the novel? Which characters are the most closely associated with traditional Ojibwe culture, and what argument might the author be making about the modern-day utility of tradition?

Pick one of the major historical events that the author depicts and discuss the way she uses it to bolster her narrative. Is Erdrich’s depiction accurate? What impact does it have on the novel to contextualize these families’ experiences within the broader history of the Ojibwe in the United States?

How does the author use the idea of beadwork as a motif within the novel? Which of the novel’s themes does the presence of so many mentions of beadwork help her to depict?

What does Sweetheart Calico represent, and how does she function symbolically within the narrative? Why is it that Klaus is incapable of seeing her as a complex, multi-faceted individual, and what impact does his mistreatment of her have on him and on their relationship?

Discuss Rozin’s characterization. How does she speak to themes related to gender, Indigenous culture, and history? What is her role both within her family and within the history of Ojibwe people in the 20th century?

How do the experiences of Klaus and Richard speak to the lived experiences of real-life Indigenous people? In what ways does the author reveal their problematic behavioral patterns to be rooted in complex trauma?