Chapter 9: The Room in the Earth

Chapter 9 shifts our attention the personal grieving processes that are being experienced by Eva's children. Markus in particular seems unable to let her go, and with a boy's determination, sets all of his energy to pursuing something that comforts him, while at the same time reminding him of his mother. "In his thoughts she was more powerful than ever, and stubbornly, he nursed words and pictures and spoke of her to himself" (Erdrich 202). He seems to be experiencing a child's own private rebellion when something he has loved so deeply has been taken away and forgotten. No child wants to forget their mother, and it seems he is being denied a healthy reminder or two from his father, who has chosen to focus his attentions on other things. It is difficult for him, because each member of the family has their own grieving process and his is not being catered to. However, he finds solace laying beneath the cool, comfortable earth that he held over his mother's grave not that long ago. He had not been able to let go of the dirt to throw upon her grave as a final farewell, as he had not been able to let go of her; now he has found a way to be a part of her again by joining her, as I think he means to do when he curls up underground to sleep.