The novel’s title, The Round House, was built by “the sleeping woman, the unkillable mother, the old lady buffalo. They’d built that place to keep their people together and to ask for mercy from the Creator, since justice was so sketchily applied on earth.” Although it constitutes the crime scene, the Round House itself is rarely visited in the book. Why has it been given the central role as title and what is its significance?
The round house has been given the central role as the title because it is the setting in which Joe’s mother, Clemence, was raped. The significance is the irony in how it was built to keep people together, but it instead ended up tearing people apart. Mayla is raped and killed at the roundhouse, leaving her baby to grow up motherless. Clemence is also raped, which destroys her and her son, Joe, psychologically. It is extremely ironic how a place, that is meant to be so peaceful, can actually be so detrimental towards such innocent individuals.
I think besides being an ironic symbol in the overall story line, that it also represents how controversial the law of the land is within Native American society in both the past and present. Even though the round house is sacred land and Joe’s mother a definite Native resident, her case’s proceedings are heeded with immense care because of the complexities that past Natives and whites agreed on. Just as the Natives were forced into Catholicism, with tiny loopholes in the way the whites monitored the lands were they able to practice their ethnic religious rituals. The round house is where the past meets the present, and shows that no matter how far in history one can trace back to or foresee, Natives have always been under the vastly complex web of living to double standards: white ones and their own.
I agree Emily, and I think the origin of the round house itself epitomizes the intersections of white and native worlds you’re talking about. It was built, according to Mooshum’s story, by Nanapush, who had seen the building in a vision he received from the old woman buffalo he killed. This story has much in common with traditional Native folklore, but the irony is that Nanapush’s long quest to find the “old woman buffalo” would have been entirely unnecessary, had the white settlers not hunted the bison nearly to extinction. In that way, the Round House represents a symbol of defiance against the change brought by white settlers, and a triumph of native legend in the face of present reality. With that in mind, the occurrence of the crime in the round house is even more horrifying—the ultimate violation of a native woman by a white man, occurring in a place that was built in defiance of white men violating the very land it stood on.
I definitely agree, but I think it’s more than that. His violation wasn’t just happenstance, he preemptively planned to commit his crime at that location. His stuff was waiting there, including the gasoline. I think the horror of the crime is exceedingly great as had planned to destroy the holy place that was built.
Erdrich’s title of the novel represents more than the location of the rape. It is the birthplace of tribal tradition on the reservation. Many tribal meetings were held in the Round House, uniting the tribes and creating a place of community and family. The Round House also represents the strength of women and their love for their children. During the attack, Mayla Wolfskin “mov[ed] her eyes to the baby, then [Geraldine], then back to the baby. [Geraldine] knew she was saying to [her she] should take care of her baby. [Geraldine] nodded to her (160). Joe’s mother agreed to take care of Mayla’s baby because as a mother herself, she wouldn’t want the child to be alone. Furthermore, Mayla was willing to risk her life so the baby could live. When it is life or death, a mother will always choose the life of her child over her own. The Round House was made from a mother’s body, ribs, and heart, and “it must be respected the same way. As the mother is intent on her baby’s life, so [Nanapush’s] people should think of their children (215). The whole reason for Geraldine’s situation is because a mother loved her daughter and wanted a better life for her. The Round House stood for decades and remained strong despite the evils that occurred within it, just as Geraldine found the strength to recover to raise her son despite all violation and pieces of herself she lost. I believe the structure parallels the strength, determination and importance of women in society.
There are many reasons that Louise Erdrich gave the Roundhouse such an important role in the story. It is where Joe’s mother was raped, but this could have happened anywhere. The author made this the setting of the crime to truly define Lark’s character. He is not only a sick man who would rape and kill someone, in addition he hates natives. By having Lark commit the crime on sacred ground, in a sacred place; it is cleanly directed that he hates natives more than anything. Another reason for holding the Roundhouse as a key role in the story is to keep the reader interested for the whole story. Going into the book, the Roundhouse is completely unknown and mysterious. We are left trying to understand the meaning behind it. While following the story, we find the reason for the Roundhouse itself and having it as the title. Erdrich could have plainly told us that the Roundhouse is a source of irony because of the difference between its origins and present use, but by writing something so secretive and mysterious we are left playing detective trying to solve the meaning of the name.
Firstly, I think some significance might lie in the irony of it all; the Round House, which is supposed to be a place of justice and mercy, is, as the prompt states, the place where the crime is committed. The Round House is supposed to be a connection between the people and their Creator, and a place of respect, and yet this is where Joe’s mother is assaulted and raped. Secondly, the Round House acts as a symbol for Native American life. Those who come from outside of the Round House, like Linden Lark, for example, quite literally invaded Native American sanctuaries and violently took what they wanted, with no regard for human life. The book is named for the Round House because of its symbolism regarding white people’s colonization of the Americas, in which a greater force with no understanding for the people who already lived here, overpower the Native Americans. In a similar perspective, the Round House portrays safety, and how, no matter how much Joe circles around it, even coming as close to standing in the “shadowed doorway” he never actually goes in. His family can never quite reach that safety that they need, for the vast majority of the book.
I think in many ways the Round House represents lost tradition. For example, the structure used to be used for ceremonies when Natives were prohibited from practicing their religion (59). According to Mooshum’s story, it was built by a man named Nanapush instructed by an old buffalo woman. The buffalo woman told him that the building represents both the buffalo and the “body of your mother” and thus should be respected (214). In many ways the building also represents the conflict between Whites and Natives. It was built out of white oppression, acting as a religious refuge and a memorial of buffaloes. Moreover, the Round House unites the Natives under the buffalo; “the round house will be my body, the poles my ribs, the fire my heart” (214). Just as the buffalo carcass sheltered Nanapush, the round house was meant to shelter the Natives. This animal once represented the harmony among the people, but due to White settlement and hunting, the buffaloes were killed. Therefore, this building is central to two of the most prominent themes, Native oppression and feminism.
Moreover, the fact that Geraldine is raped by a white man in this building represents the severe mistreatment of women. This act is the main conflict of the book, thus the Round House is an appropriate and relevant title. Also, the building’s peace and sacredness is distorted due to the fact that women were violated in a building that was meant to represent unity and motherhood. On top of this, Linden Lark is a white man violating women on their own reservation. This gross injustice is further exemplified in the statistics in the afterword. Erdrich states that “86 percent of rapes and sexual assaults upon Native women are perpetrated by non-Native men” (319). Thus, the title plays on this dark irony, reminding the reader once again of the racism and injustice that exists against Native Americans.
This is exactly what I thought. The story of Nanapush was the struggle of the Old Lady Buffalo who sacrificed herself to let Nanapush live. Then when they built the Round House in her honor they were meant to respect the new building. I think that Linden knew that the Round House would cause controversy. Through Linda, he was aware of the Round House and the history behind it. The rape was supposed to happen there and Linden was able to spoil the sanctity of a once renowned venue.
While I agree with what you’ve said, I think that it is also important to remember that Lark had intended to burn down the Roundhouse and yet failed in doing so. It is due to Geraldine’s ability to escape captivity that the Roundhouse survives and, because of this, the Roundhouse can also represent Native American perseverance. While there is now baggage attached to the Roundhouse it is not too different from Native history. Both have been attacked, soiled and suppressed at times and yet both still stand. While not everything that occurred in the Roundhouse was good it remains as a symbol for Native American culture and the ability to endure.
The Round House, being a sacred place for the tribe, was Linden’s ideal place to commit his heinous crime. For him it was all about control, he wanted people to fear him, hate him, but be able to do nothing about it. That’s why he was so meticulous in his planning. On one hand, he avoided justice by exploiting a fault in the legal system that centered around the land the Round House sits on. On the other hand, he wanted the native people, who he hated so vehemently, to see that even their most sacred place is vulnerable to attack from the white man. In this way, the place of the crime holds great significance. Like Cappy’s experience in the church basement, the reaction is important. Cappy couldn’t resist telling the priest what he and the girl from the bible camp did, even if it almost got him killed. The ultimate blow to a Catholic priest would be a sinful act happening in his place of worship. Similarly, the worst place for the rape of a native woman would be the very place the native people have reserved to maintain unity in themselves and faith in their creator.
The lack of activity at the round house struck me as strange. Being built as a center for communal religious activities, the house should have community members constantly coming in and out during times of gathering or prayer. However, it was deserted enough to be the setting of a heinous crime, the novel’s most cruel event. Not only was the house the site of the rape of Joe’s mother, but the land around it also offered Joe and his friends disturbing clues that they followed in order to discover the rapist himself.
Lark’s invasion and destruction of the round house’s peacefulness can be viewed as a metaphor for the white invasion of the native American land. Lark raped and tortured Joe’s mother just as the Europeans ravaged the land by infiltrating and taking it without consent.
Lark took what he wanted without hesitation, leaving Joe’s mother forever broken and a little empty no matter how much she improved. The native American community will never be what it was before America was settled, leaving it forever broken and a little empty no matter how much it continues to survive.
In building the Round House, it was designed to be a safe house for Native Americans in a world where “justice was so sketchily applied”, and for that reason it is revered and honored as a sacred place in their culture and community. Yet, Linden Lark, a white man, has no qualms with committing his crimes in this very place, effectively desecrating the native culture. This attack is not only the rape of a Native American woman, but the rape of Native American beliefs and ways of life as well. Erdrich did not write The Round House solely to condemn sexual violence. If this were true, as an author she could have easily written about a family from any other walk of life. However, she specifically chose to write about a Native American community, ultimately killing two birds with one stone: in her portrayal of Linden Lark and his actions, Erdrich condemns both sexual violence AND the desecration of Native American culture.
I believe that the role of The Round House in this book is to emphasize the immoral nature of the crime that took place. The legacy in which the round house was built upon provides contrast to the terrible incident that started the book. It is easy to imagine a place built upon such morals, and such a terrible crime, but these things are not often thought of taking place together. The fact that the two intertwined at The Round House holds great symbolism and meaning.
When I first learned that the Round House was the location of Geraldine’s attack, my thought was of the connection between a literal roundhouse and the circle of life. The biblical connection between women, their homes, and fertility also struck me as a conspicuous detail throughout the novel. The Round House was sacrificed to Nanapush by the Old Lady Buffalo’s body and her dedication to new life, but Linden Lark takes the exact opposite whilst in the house as he commits his heinous crimes, contrasting the life, love, and community formed within the sacred entity.
I believe the Round House represents the good we are all trying to live within but also represents the reality that evil exists, and we all must fight our battles to the best of our ability.
Father Travis once said, “The only thing that God can do, and does all of the time, is to draw good from any evil situation.” Within the text, the round house represents mercy, protection, and community for the people on Joe’s reservation. It is ironic that the round house is the setting for Linden Lark’s assault on Geraldine and Mayla. Lark’s assault represented cruelty, destruction, and suffering in the context of a location known for its positive attributes. Yet, as Father Travis said, good can come of evil situations. The book focuses on the development of Joe into a young man. The book can be regarded as a bildungsroman as stated on this blog. The horrible act that Linden Lark commits in the round house results in a drastic change within Joe’s family and community. Joe is forced to mature mentally and emotionally in order to cope with the situation and to seek answers for himself. His mother separates herself from Joe and his father for a majority of the book, retreating to the solitude of her bedroom as a means for recovery. This issue forces Joe and his father to form a tighter bond in order to fight a common enemy and to grow as human beings. Joe gets to know other members of his family better, such as Whitey, Sonja and Mooshum as the book progresses. Joe also seeks tighter companionship from friends such as Cappy and Angus in his time of need. Lark’s destructive assault on Joe’s mother sets in place events that lead to the values of the round house being strengthened within Joe’s own family and community.
The Round House has been given the title, despite not appearing often during the story ,because many components of the story Mooshum told, regarding the creation of the Round House, parallel the progression that Joe undergoes throughout the book. Many of the qualities that Nanapush represented were the same ones that Joe gained by the end of the story. First off, Nanapush had “completely lost trust in authority, he decided to stay away from others and to think for himself, even to do the most ridiculous things that occurred to him.”(214) Joe also had completely lost his trust in authority and the legal system by the end of the story when Linden had been set free, thus driving him to commit the murder at the end of the book. Another glaring similarity between Nanapush and Joe is the fact that they chose to isolate themselves in a way during the times of pain. Joe, did not want to drag Cappy into the murder of Lark, so he tried to get him to stay away when he would commit the crime. Later in the story the old buffalo woman tells Nanapush “They will come to you.”(214) This also occurs in the end of the book when Cappy helps Joe finish the job and kill Lark. It is also fitting that Nanapush contributed to building the Round House due to the qualities he shares with Joe along with his story also being about a son who helps save his mother. The old buffalo woman also says that the Round House should be respected in the same way a “mother is intent on her baby’s life,”(215). I feel this line was very purposefully placed in the story because of the way not only the attack impacted Joe, but also Mayla’s child.
The Round House is the crime scene of a crime that is rarely talked about, taking place in a community that is even less talked about. In part, the Round House is a representation of the Native American communities that are forgotten, including all the bad events that occur within them. The Round House is rarely visited, but it is important that it isn’t forgotten. Erdrich uses the setting as the title of the book in order to leave the important cultural landmark unforgotten. The Round House is a highly spiritual place; it represents the history of spirituality in Joe’s community. It is also on land split up by multiple entities – it is on partly tribal land, partly state land. The ambiguous laws on the reservations in the United States are represented by the literally splitting of a cultural landmark for the Native Americans – overwhelmed by not knowing which laws apply, serious crimes such as rape go forgotten by law enforcement.
I believe that the sacred Round House is given the central role in the novel due to its overlapping jurisdictions. In the novel, Joe’s father laments the fact that Geraldine doesn’t recall any information about her rapist, particularly whether or not her rapist was Native American. As in the time of the novel, tribal governments could not prosecute non-Natives who had committed crimes on their land, and without this key bit of information, justice cannot be delivered. The Round House represents this greater injustice of non-Native men who rape Native women on tribal lands and who escape prosecution and adds to the novel’s overarching themes of injustice and revenge. In a similar vein, Linden Lark’s heinous crime taking place on a sacred Native American site is also representative of the subjugation of Native American cultures by European colonialists. European colonialists destroyed Native American cultures, and with the destruction of culture comes the loss of individual identity. Without an education of their people’s history, language, and identity, self-hood cannot be attained, and in that manner, Geraldine’s identity has been stripped from her, evident in her withdrawal from her family and disinterest in her hobbies, though this is also a reaction to her horrible ordeal. By taking a once sacred site and perverting it in such an egregious manner, Lark has essentially desecrated both Geraldine and her heritage in the same way that European colonists destroyed Native identity.
Along with all the irony that has been mentioned I think there are a couple of other reasons why this could have been chosen as the title and center of the novel. The fact that The Round House was built to be used frequently as a gathering place and for healing clearly juxtaposes its role in the book as the crime scene. In addition to that, the site itself is very rarely visited and the name itself is hinted at more often than it is fully stated. It seems as though the characters fear the name because it is so closely associated with the thoughts of the atrocious crime. The elusiveness and hatred of this place goes to show just how big of an impact the rape can have on people, particularly Clemence, Bazil and Joe. Since Joe is the narrator of the novel, it is easiest to see the psychological impact through him. After learning that The Round House was the scene of the crime, the site and even the name itself take on a different meaning in his mind. Through his thoughts and words the reader can feel that simply speaking the name brings back floods of emotions, visions, and nightmares about the rape. Similarly, Clemence’s instability peaks when discussions of the crime scene occur. Having The Round House act as the center and title of the book demonstrates how something seldom used and barely spoken of can have a devastating impact on someone when linked to them with such strong emotional ties.
The significance of the Round House is both its history and the areas that surround it. It represents the time when Native American ceremonies had to be done in secret and the area that surrounds it represents the legal problems the division of land and laws can create. I believe the crime was committed there because Lark knew that if the main character’s mother didn’t know where she was raped the crime would fall between the cracks of the legal system. I think Louise Erdrich chose to title the book “The Round House” because it is the location of the crime that ties the entire story together. Even though it’s rarely visited in the book it is carries a great importance in the story.