A Rhetorical Narrative Study On The Plague Of Doves

In The Plague of Doves, Erdrich unfolds Native American history with racial conflicts by constructing the dynamic narrative among characters, readers and the author. The thesis, based on the rhetorical narrative theory of James Phelan, intends to examine Erdrich’s writing skills in her construction of dynamics as well as such underlying themes as territorial conflicts, belief conflicts and racial discrimination.To begin with, focusing on Joseph Coutts and Mooshum, two major characters in the novel, the thesis probes the multi-element that Erdrich conveys in her construction of characters. Meanwhile, through the analysis of characterization, the thesis attempts to discover the history of Euro-American plundering land and Native losing land presented in the novel.Besides, the thesis concentrates on the narrative progression of three stories in the novel, namely, the naming of Holy Track, Mooshum’s resistance against the priest, and Billy’s murder by Wolde. By analyzing the instabilities and tensions in these three stories, the thesis aims to discover how Erdrich pushes forward the development of narrative progression in the novel. Meanwhile, from the analysis of narrative progression, this chapter intends to probe the belief conflicts between Native Americans and Euro-Americans, as well as Native religious resistance.Finally, the research makes narrative judgment on the core event in the novel, the murder-lynch event. By analyzing the interpretive judgment, ethical judgment and aesthetic judgment made by characters, the author and readers, the thesis intends to illustrate the truth and essence of the core event, reconstruct and evaluate the ethics of the Native and the white, and expound Erdrich’s writing strategies in the construction of the core event. With the help of narrative judgment, the thesis aims to explore the problems of racial discrimination suffered by Native Americans.Through rhetorical analysis of the novel, the thesis presents the writing strategies and skills that Erdrich uses in the construction of characters and narrative progression,which displays her narrative aesthetics in the construction of dynamic narrative.Meanwhile, the thesis endeavors to discover the themes reflected from Erdrich’s writing strategies, with the intention to explore Native sufferings caused by colonialism andracism, and demonstrate Erdrich’s sympathy for Native Americans and her resentment for Euro-American oppression.