Fiction

Erdrich covers a lot of territory in this first chapter. We've seen Fidelis in the war, returning home, rejoicing in freedom, and recognizes in himself many attributes. First, he was a killing machine who did his job so well that he was personally singled out for destruction and hatred by the Americans and English. His trick of using honey given him by his mother on his finger kept his aim steady, never slipping on the trigger to allow a miss. His ability to be very still he knows kept him from the fate of his victims....

Fidelis goes to the home of his best friend's betrothed fulfilling a promise made to him as he was dying on the way home from the war. He already loves the woman and senses recognition of him by the child in her womb that he is to take care of them. He secretly keeps her picture found on his friend's body. And, he now knows he is a lover since his wedding night with Eva.

He knows he's meant to travel, but has no idea where until he has seen Americans' white-sliced bread. and wants to go where it was made. He gathers all his money and goes to America by sea with a suitcase full of sausage and his butcher father's knives. He will sell the sausages made at home with his father's terrific recipe along the way to get money for his travels....the money gets him as far as North Dakota by train.

He is surprised at the generosity of Americans who give him extra bread with his meager meals and accepts that they can afford to be generous because they won the war, his side having lost. We learn that this blond blue-eyed German is attractive to women. At least one American woman wants him to call her and we are led to believe not for conversation.

What isn't in the chapter is very revealing. Nowhere is it mentioned in what countries the war was fought, or why, whose side was he on, or did he feel he could not stay there because of conditions placed on them because they did not win? I'm looking at this from an American perspective where we analyze who started wars and why they were won or lost. Fidelis seems as though he really didn't give a damn about those things and just wanted to get with life...anywhere but home? Also, not in this chapter is any curiousity by the author in the Americans' total acceptance of him in friendship whose country was responsible for killing Americans when non-whites who fought on America's side were not treated well. This was called the great war, "The War to End All Wars," so everyone knew the details, but not so great in this chapter...Curious...

We are left to wonder how soon will he bring his wife and child to this country and whether she'll like it. Personal experience in my own family and millions of others is similar. Fathers came and earned till they could afford to send for the family.

I am going to look at your comments now, Curmudge...