Skunk Dreams

Louise Erdrich writes from The Georgia Review a fasinating, yet unique and slightly confusing piece called "Skunk Dreams."

As i read the title "Skunk Dreams", I couldn't help to think that this was going to be just another stupid little article about skunks and the dreams that they have, however, as I started adventuring through, my assumption was quickly proven wrong. Erdrich starts the article in a very interesting way explaining how she was sleeping on a football field under the beautiful spring North Dakota night, when a skunk suddenly sat down and slept right next to her. Terrified at first, Erdrich did not move a muscle. Though within moments, she describes how she becomes relaxed and her mind drifts, beginning to wonder if skunks have dreams as humans do.

As the story progresses, Eldrich has a detailed dream of a fence, fully grown trees, an elk, and much more. I became very intrigued and actually thought more to myself the dreams animals might have and if they relate to human dreams in any sort of way.  

Eldrich moves out of North Dakota and into New Hampshire where she has forgotten about her dream. At first she does not like New Hampshire. She explains how she has become "urbanzied and sedentary." "The woods seemed bogus"--she writes. "The sky small and oddly lit, as if by an electric bulb." However, after a few years of living in the contry, she finally realizes that to "get outside" is not a fifteen minute car ride, it is simply right infront of her very own eyes.

Eldrich soon begins to adventure outside, and she realizes that she becomes fasinated with the scenery and especially the wind. She takes a stroll into the woods and finds trees everywhere, big ones and small ones. She finds  X wire, elk, and even a fence. Just like her dream. She wanted to get inside and explore with the animals. Overcome that obstacle. Eldrich learns that this is a hunting club and soon finds a gab in the fence to see what lies ahead.

After reading this story, I was a bit confused. I felt as if it jumped around and I often found myself lost in what I was reading. I found the whole story to be very well written, I thought the beginning and the end were very clear, the middle is where I drew confusion. Eldrich overcame her obstacles and makes a great point when she writes "Without obstacles, the notion of developmetn is inconveivable." This quote made me really think, and try to place it into my very own life.

Overall, this story was very well writen and made some very good points. I just dont understand exactly what the point of this article was, but hopefully after some discussion with some class mates I will get a better grasp on things.