The Master Butchers Singing Club-Chapter 1-SPOILERS

[Curmudgeoness]

This thread is set up for discussion of the book by Louise Erdrich, and will be posted chapter by chapter (as I finish them or if you want to participate, you can post an OP for the next chapter). This way, we can see how our opinions of the book and characters change or not over time. If you are joining the discussion, stop after each chapter and post before going on so you don't have more information than anyone else reading this.


Chapter 1 certainly wastes no time. Fidelis Waldvogel goes from the war to getting married to coming to America in short order. My head is spinning over it. But at least we are not wasting time.

I am in awe of all the immigrants who had the nerve to make the trip to the United States, leaving everyone and everything they know behind. The reason for Fidelis' move is one of the strangest I have heard, but maybe it is more typical of the reasons than I would expect. Wonderbread. Who would think that this would be inspiration to anyone???

I found it so short-sighted of Fidelis to have gone through everything he had before he decided to stop. I cannot imagine how anyone expects to survive with no money and no assets that are not needed to make his living. Is this just someone who is that confident? Or is he deluded into thinking that the rules don't apply here? I wonder if many other immigrants were just as optimistic about their abilities to make a living and survive. We have no real insight into his mind yet. But I keep thinking, how would he intend to make more sausage without the money to buy meat, spices, casings, whatever else is needed.

We really don't learn much about Fidelis, or Eva, the woman he married because he felt commited to do it. But I am very interested in finding out more about him and how he intends to survive.


What were your thoughts on finishing this chapter?

[fadedrose]

1. I have not yet read any of your comments...

Erdrich covers a lot of territory in this first chapter. We've seen Fidelis in the war, returning home, rejoicing in freedom, and recognizes in himself many attributes. First, he was a killing machine who did his job so well that he was personally singled out for destruction and hatred by the Americans and English. His trick of using honey given him by his mother on his finger kept his aim steady, never slipping on the trigger to allow a miss. His ability to be very still he knows kept him from the fate of his victims....

Fidelis goes to the home of his best friend's betrothed fulfilling a promise made to him as he was dying on the way home from the war. He already loves the woman and senses recognition of him by the child in her womb that he is to take care of them. He secretly keeps her picture found on his friend's body. And, he now knows he is a lover since his wedding night with Eva.

He knows he's meant to travel, but has no idea where until he has seen Americans' white-sliced bread. and wants to go where it was made. He gathers all his money and goes to America by sea with a suitcase full of sausage and his butcher father's knives. He will sell the sausages made at home with his father's terrific recipe along the way to get money for his travels....the money gets him as far as North Dakota by train.

He is surprised at the generosity of Americans who give him extra bread with his meager meals and accepts that they can afford to be generous because they won the war, his side having lost. We learn that this blond blue-eyed German is attractive to women. At least one American woman wants him to call her and we are led to believe not for conversation.

What isn't in the chapter is very revealing. Nowhere is it mentioned in what countries the war was fought, or why, whose side was he on, or did he feel he could not stay there because of conditions placed on them because they did not win? I'm looking at this from an American perspective where we analyze who started wars and why they were won or lost. Fidelis seems as though he really didn't give a damn about those things and just wanted to get with life...anywhere but home? Also, not in this chapter is any curiousity by the author in the Americans' total acceptance of him in friendship whose country was responsible for killing Americans when non-whites who fought on America's side were not treated well. This was called the great war, "The War to End All Wars," so everyone knew the details, but not so great in this chapter...Curious...

We are left to wonder how soon will he bring his wife and child to this country and whether she'll like it. Personal experience in my own family and millions of others is similar. Fathers came and earned till they could afford to send for the family.

I am going to look at your comments now, Curmudge...

[Curmudgeoness]

7. Interesting, I had not thought

about how Fidelis was in love with Eva before he ever met her. But I do believe that was true. At least he was in love with the idea of her. We will see if it becomes a true love.

I am also wondering why Americans were so kind and accepting of him. From what I have heard about this time in immigration, it was not much different than today with Mexicans---they were not welcomed and were looked down on. That he is from Germany who was the enemy in WWI, and that he had language barriers, makes it more curious. Maybe it is his looks?

Yes, Fidelis seems quite ready to put the war behind him. He doesn't seem to care about it and is glad to be done with it----and maybe that is why he wants to get away, far away. He appeared to be "born again" after the war was over, with all the vivid sensations of being alive again---as if he was not really living during the war. And many the Americans were just as ready to put this war behind them.

[fadedrose]

2. My thoughts were

in the line of maybe hopefully finding a dead body in a suitcase on the train, but alas it was not meant to be.

Everybody has a story, and in the hands of a gifted writer, can make it interesting enough to be a book that will enchant many readers. I am hoping the next chapter will provide some excitement.

Chapter 2 tonight.......

[Curmudgeoness]

5. I think that a dead body on the train

would be moving too quickly. This seems to be a book that will build more slowly, and we will get to know the characters in more depth. I hope so. She seems to be laying a groundwork for much more to come.

Did you find Fidelis' optimism incredible? I could not believe the nerve he had, but I have a feeling that many people who came to the US had this dream that it would all work out.

[fadedrose]

6. I was wondering how bad things were in Germany then..

Maybe he wasn't optimistic, maybe he was just desperate to get out of there. The author doesn't share this, but I have to figure that he made a decision that no matter how bad it was, it would be better than staying. He loved Eva and seems somewhat attached to the child, so he wasn't running away from them, more running for them.

We'll see what happens.

We're on two different paths here, and I like the difference in our persepectives....'

I'm going to finish Full Blood Force tonight, hook or crook. It's not exciting, but it's entertaining. The people of the UP of MI have a dialect as hard to decipher as the hillbillies of our South or Scotland.

If I can keep my eyes open, will do chapter 2, but will not do my thoughts. I will do them tomorrow morning without referring back to what I read, as I did with Chapter 1. The things that stand out in my mind after a long period of time is what I'm going to chase...

[Little Star]

3. I'm just reading what you two are writing...

I think this is going to be interesting. Good job, I'm having fun.

[fadedrose]

4. Junp right in, the water's warm.....nt

[Curmudgeoness]

8. If this turns out to be a really good book,

it will be ruined for you. But as long as you don't mind, you are free to come along for the ride. Let us know what you think, and maybe we will do it again and you will be at a point to join in.