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 kid ties his old mare to the fence and goes into the barn to get the saddle. The old man is milking the cow. After the kid breathes in the familiar smell of the tack room, the old man gives him a handful of bills so he can get himself a meal. He looks at the kid seriously and tells him, “He’s gonna be sick.” The kid points out that he’s seen this before, but the old man says this time is different.
The novel begins with a scene of comfortable, familiar domestic life. Though the relationship between the kid and the man isn’t clear, the kid appears to be at home here. However, the peaceful setting is disrupted by a sense of looming conflict, as an unknown “he” is unprecedently ill.
Themes
The old man cautions that “He lies when he’s sick,” so maybe the kid should stay here and be happy with what he’s got. The kid says that he always lies and, anyway, it’s his father. He wonders, though, if his father is dying. The old man isn’t sure, but from his point of view, he’s been dying for a long time. The kid saddles his horse and sets off.
The old man, who is revealed not to be the kid’s father, is concerned about what’s awaiting the kid. The kid’s relationship with his father, who’s been unwell for a long time, apparently has a troubled history. The kid is determined to handle the situation.
Themes
It’s late fall. The kid rides easily. He is big, serious-looking, and doesn’t talk much. He is comfortable being alone. The old man taught him to value work, and he enjoys it, especially horses. He left school early because he’s not inclined to books or ideas. The outdoors is what he loves, and he’s at home there, never lonely. Today he takes his time. The ride to the mill town at Parson’s Gap is familiar, but the kid isn’t sure why his father called him there.
