The Medicine Bag By Virginia Sneve Analysis

1G1012002
English 2 HP
Room 109
9 May 2013
The Medicine Bag Have you ever thought that family traditions were stupid and worthless? In the short story, The Medicine Bag, by Virginia Sneve, a young boy, named Martin, learns that a bag has been passed down from generation to generation, and that it should keep going on towards the future. Martin used to lies to his friends about his grandpa to make him sound amazing. However, his friends see the grandpa’s true form which shames Martin, but the friends love him and Martin begins to as well. At first, Martin doesn’t want to keep the medicine bag, but after listening to his grandpa, he finally decides to preserve the ritual. Keeping a tradition alive may teach a person the true value of family; it doesn’t have to be important to someone, but it is important to preserve family happiness.
Superstition played a role in keeping the family happy and a reason for creating rituals.
The grandfather explains, “I kept the bag until my son, your mother’s father, was a man and had to leave us to fight in the war across the ocean. I gave him the bag, for I believed it would protect him in battle, but he did not take it with him. He was afraid that he would lose it. He died in a faraway place,” (5). The medicine bag was believed to protect the carrier form any evil spirits; since his son didn’t bring it, he died. This is significant because the grandpa wants the security of his family’s safety, and the only way he thinks that is possible would be by carrying the bag. This may spook Martin as he is still young, so now he is fully paying attention to him and admiring how he started the tradition instead of before, when
he was deeply ashamed of him. Securing the safety, promising good fortunes, and allowing a safe return, all were brought by the medicine bag. Another example is when Grandpa recalls, “This first Iron Shell kept the piece of iron with him at all times and believed it gave him protection from the evils of those unhappy days,”(5). Another symbol here is the iron shell, which he had a dream that he took it from white men which were the enemy, which he found at the remains of a campfire near a stream. This can mean that they found an extremely important piece that would protect them from the evils of unhappy days. Martin wouldn’t want anything to happen to his family, so he should accept it to protect his family. The bag should be passed on to the next man in order to preserve the family line, so that no evil spirits can take a family member away. After hearing a story, Martin’s outlooks on the bag and his grandpa changed. For example, in the beginning, Martin points out, “We never showed our friends Grandpa’s picture,” (1). Martin is deeply embarrassed of his grandpa because he isn’t as cool as he would like him to be. It shows that Martin, ashamed and dishonest, has set high expectations to people and always expect them to be awesome. Because the narrator views his great-grandpa as shameful, he feels the need to oversell the description and life of his grandpa in order to make him feel happier and less ashamed. Lies exaggerated, importance misunderstood, Martin is ashamed of his grandpa and doesn’t understand how important the bag is to grandpa doesn’t realize that it would be the key to his happiness. After the full story is told, Martin says, “’Thank you, Grandpa,’ I said softly and left with the bag in my hands,” (5). Following the story, Martin grows a sense of appreciation towards his family member because for knowing all the legends he has told which seem really cool. Given that the narrator feels like his grandfather is admirable, he finally understands the importance of the medicine bag and knows that the best thing to do is to take it. The author is implying that Martin is now proud to be related to his grandpa and he should live up to the task his grandfather has sent him. Martin’s view towards his great-grandfather has improved and now truly respects and loves him. There are two symbols that stand out and are very crucial to the main plot of the story. A predominant symbol in the story is the medicine bag. This object represents the history of Martin’s family because it shows that the luck it has brought to past people can be brought to the future generations as well as Martin himself. Another major symbol in the story is the iron shell. This item represents the separation of evil powers from the goodness of the human mind and allows the holder to live fully while holding it. It can be passed down and keep everyone good luck with the legend. Family tradition must play a role to preserve and satisfy a family and their members. The author wants everyone to keep their family going on no matter what it takes. Family is always the number one priority in everyone’s life, and that should never be forgotten. In essence, we, as readers, learn that for a family to achieve true happiness, all the customs and traditions must be done and everyone should get along because they are family forever.