Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Medicine Walk, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Fathers and Sons
Nature and the Land
Identity and Heritage
Memory and Story
Love, Loss, and Grief
Summary
Analysis
The narrative shifts to the kid ’s first memory of his father .He was almost six, and it was summertime. He was tacking a covering onto the hens’ hutch to protect them from predators. This was a good example of the old man’s approach. He listened to the kid’s questions and showed him how to do things. But then he left the kid alone. Later, he’d help the kid as necessary. But mostly the kid was left to work and learn on his own. Working on the hutch was fun for him, so he didn’t really notice the hovering man at first. They chatted briefly about the “varmint,” then the man headed into the house.
The kid’s childhood memories of his father provide context for his conflicted feelings in the present. Unlike Eldon, the old man was a constant fatherly presence in Frank’s life, coaching and supporting him for as long as he can remember. As a father, the old man seemed to find it important to give Frank a sense of pride in his work and self-sufficiency. Eldon, in contrast, appears out of nowhere and can only vaguely relate to what the kid’s doing.
Themes
When the kid finished his task, he went into the house. Right away, he heard the men’s voices conversing in a steady, rumbling way that suggested a serious subject. The kid put his tools away, making a little noise so they knew he was there. When he got to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of milk, the old man introduced “Eldon.” Eldon asked him about the hen hutch, and the kid quipped that the “varmint” would let him know if he did a good job or not. His father laughed. The old man rubbed his hair, and the kid beamed.
Frank is used to being included in adult conversations and concerns, as shown by his precociously dry sense of humor—which sounds a lot like the old man’s. In fact, he seems to be the old man’s son in every way, even as he’s introduced to the man he doesn’t realize is his biological father.
Themes
The kid drank his milk and listened as the men sipped whisky and talked. When Eldon mentioned getting seasonal work from an acquaintance, the old man pointed out that four seasonals add up to a year. He also had to pawn his saw, so logging work was out. One cause for optimism was his father’s regular work at the mill, although the old man didn’t seem too hopeful. The old man clattered around the kitchen warming stew and biscuits while Eldon and the kid looked at each other. The kid watched silently as Eldon poured himself another big helping of whisky, winking and holding a finger to his lips.
Eldon struggles to stay employed consistently, which frustrates the old man. The kid still doesn’t know the relationship between the two men or Eldon’s relationship with him. When the man slyly sneaks more whisky—awkwardly letting Frank in on the secret—it suggests that Eldon's drinking is a contentious matter between the two men.
Themes
Over supper, the men talked about the farm, then the kid washed the dishes and put them away. He sensed Eldon staring at him and felt that Eldon wanted to speak, but he never did. The kid finally excused himself and went to bed. At one point, he heard a sob, and the old man’s voice got louder. Then things grew quieter again.
The kid remains an outsider at this point, protected from the drama in Eldon’s life that will someday impact his own. As far as he knows, Eldon is just a troubled stranger with whom the old man is somehow involved.
Themes
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The next morning, over the milking, the kid asked the old man who this man was. Eldon was still asleep, on the couch by the woodstove. The old man said he’s someone he used to know very well, but now he’s a different man. When the kid asked about Eldon’s drinking, the old man said whisky keeps varmints away—things like memories, desires, other people. He went on to say that sometimes, things get so broken inside a person that they’re difficult to fix. That’s what happened to Eldon. The old man lets him come sometimes so he can talk through his sadness. By the time they finish their chores, they found Eldon had gone. He left some bills in a jar.
The old man chooses not to tell the kid that Eldon is his father—this significance of this choice becomes clear later. For now, the old man speaks to Frank in terms he can understand (especially having just worked on a chicken coop)—drinking is a way that troubled people try to protect themselves from things that seem dangerous to them. This also shows that, despite his anger and frustration with Eldon, the old man is also sympathetic to his pain.
Themes
Almost a year later, the kid was out herding the cows when he saw the man again. As he approached the barn, he saw a beat-up pickup truck in the lane whose bed was filled with rusty tools. After the kid stabled the horse, he went into the house and found it empty, so he wandered down to the woodlot and suddenly heard yelling. The old man sounded harsher than the kid had ever heard him. As he got closer, the kid saw from the scuffed earth that they’d been fighting. They were both out of breath, and there was even a little blood on Eldon’s face. Both men looked down as the kid walked up and sat on a stump between them.
The next time Eldon appears in Frank’s life, the tension between Eldon and the old man has reached a breaking point. It’s notable that, even though Frank is still a small child at this point, he unhesitatingly puts himself in the middle of the men’s scuffle, assuming the situation is relevant to him instead of being afraid, as most kids likely would be. The old man has raised him to be forthright and not to shrink from challenges—and he’s also never been in a situation with adults that has given him reason to feel unsafe.
Themes
Eldon ordered the old man to “Tell him,” but the old man said it wasn’t his job. Eldon hesitated for a long time, which makes the kid feel anxious. After taking a swig from a flask and staggering slightly, Eldon faced the kid. The old man put his arm around him, telling the kid to listen. Finally, Eldon said, “I’m your pap.” The kid stared at the old man—he thought he was his father. The old man explained that he’s raising him. He loves him. But there’s a difference.
The old man refuses to be the one to tell Frank who his father is, even at the risk of causing the kid greater pain and confusion. This suggests that certain people have a responsibility to tell certain truths—that it’s not right for just anyone to voice them. The old man’s explanation also suggest that while raising and loving someone is key to parenthood, biological paternity is also significant.
Themes
The kid peered at Eldon and asked how it could be true that he’s his father. Eldon said it’s complicated. If it’s complicated, the kid protested, then he doesn’t understand why Eldon would tell him. Eldon was startled—he said the old man has taught the kid to talk like a man. The old man said that somebody needed to.
Young Frank perceives that his father hasn’t thought through the implications of this revelation—that there’s a bigger story here that his father isn’t yet ready to tell. Eldon hadn’t counted on the kid being so perceptive. The old man’s cutting remark, meanwhile, makes it clear that Eldon isn’t teaching the kid how to be a man.
Themes
Eldon said he wasn’t sure why he came—he just felt like he had to come and tell the kid, so he did. When the kid said he didn’t understand, Eldon replied that he’s too sober for this discussion. The kid started to feel sorry for Eldon, whose eyes were teary and whose hands were shaking. The old man pointed out that truth is never easy, especially when it’s been withheld for a long time.
Eldon, used to just getting by to survive, isn’t used to thinking more than a step or two ahead about his actions. He's also not used to handling stressful situations without resorting to alcohol. Remarkably, Frank feels sympathy for his father's pain even though he doesn't understand it. The old man makes the point that truth-telling comes with a painful cost.
Themes
Eldon said he’d better go; he needed to think. But the old man said that no matter where Eldon went, the truth would follow him. Now that he’s told the truth, he owes seven years’ worth of lost time, and he can do that by making the coming years different—he’d better start by stopping the drinking. The kid just looked back and forth from the old man to Eldon, not knowing what to do. Finally Eldon said that he didn’t think this through and walks off. The kid asked the old man about his mother and the old man’s face darkened a bit. He said it was Eldon’s job to tell him that.
The old man’s remarks suggest that telling the truth, by itself, isn’t necessarily enough. Especially when they’ve failed others, people need to back up their words with actions. Eldon isn’t used to taking that kind of responsibility; he has a habit of running away from it. The kid senses that there’s a bigger story he doesn’t know yet. But again, the old man refuses to be the one to tell him. His attitude suggests that the timing of a story can be less important than who tells it.
Themes
