Get notes, summary, questions and answers, workbook solutions (Beeta Publication/Morning Star), critical analysis, word meanings, extras, and pdf of Virginia Driving Hawk’s story The Medicine Bag: ISC Class 12 English (Prism). However, the notes should only be treated for references and changes should be made according to the needs of the students.
Summary
Martin felt conflicted about his mixed ancestry. His mother belonged to the Lakota Sioux tribe in South Dakota, while his father was a white man. Every summer, Martin and his little sister Charyl eagerly anticipated their visit to see their 86-year old grandfather on the Rosebud Reservation.
Grandfather truly embodied the spirit and traditions of their people. The kids would return home full of vivid stories about ancient ceremonies, healing rituals, and Grandfather’s wisdom that seemed to transcend time. Martin and Charyl’s friends relished these tales that brought to life a culture so different from their own.
But Martin never showed any photos of Grandfather to his friends. He knew Grandfather’s weathered face, long braided hair, and vibrant tribal clothing would seem exotic and strange. Martin dreaded the day his two worlds would collide.
One hot July morning, the family spotted a solitary figure walking slowly down their street. To Martin’s horror, he realised it was Grandfather. The old man greeted them warmly, unaffected as dogs barked loudly at this unfamiliar visitor. Martin cringed with embarrassment while his mother awkwardly patted his grandfather’s back. Only little Charyl wrapped her arms around him in a joyful welcome.
That first evening, as he helped Grandfather prepare for bed, Martin was shocked to discover rolls of bills stuffed inside the old man’s worn boots. Grandfather had cashed in his meagre life savings to afford the long journey to see them one last time. He simply longed for family as the end drew near. Awash in shame, Martin’s family realised they had abandoned Grandfather to die alone.
The next day, Grandfather waited expectantly in the living room to meet Martin’s friends—the very encounter Martin had always dreaded. But to Martin’s surprise, the boys were utterly captivated by Grandfather, sitting raptly at his feet as he shared legends passed down by their ancestors through generations. For the first time, Martin glowed with pride in his noble heritage.
Finally, Grandfather turned to Martin and explained that his visit had a deeper purpose. He unclasped the leather pouch from around his neck. It was the family’s sacred medicine bag, which Grandfather now wished to bestow upon Martin to carry on their ancient ways. Martin trembled as he received the weighty honour.
Shortly after, Grandfather peacefully passed on. In a moving ceremony, Martin’s family returned his body to the earth of his beloved reservation. With his head held high, Martin wore the medicine bag proudly at Grandfather’s side, cherishing the culture it represented. He placed sweet prairie sage inside to carry Grandfather’s spirit forward. Though worlds apart in life, in death, Grandfather and Martin were joyfully united.
Workbook answers
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What did Martin and his sister Cheryl brag about?
(a) Their ancestral home
(b) Their maternal grandfather
(c) The Medicine Bag
(d) All of the above
Answer: (b) Their maternal grandfather
2. Why did Martin never show Grandpa’s picture to his friends?
(a) He was not good looking
(b) He was shabbily dressed
(c) He was a Native American
(d) He was not tall and stately like TV Indians.
Answer: (d) He was not tall and stately like TV Indians.
3. How did Martin feel on seeing Grandpa, who had come unexpectedly?
(a) Excited
(b) Happy
(c) Embarrassed
(d) Sad
Answer: (c) Embarrassed
4. How did Cheryl react on seeing Grandpa?
(a) Glad
(b) Nervous
(c) Embarrassed
(d) Shocked
Answer: (a) Glad
5. Why did Grandpa’s shoes fit so tight?
(a) They were old and worn
(b) They were small in size
(c) They were stuffed with money
(d) They were stuffed with medicines
Answer: (c) They were stuffed with money
6. Why did Grandpa decide to visit Iowa?
(a) He wanted to see where his descendants lived
(b) He was feeling lonely when they left him after their yearly visit
(c) He wanted to die in his descendants’ house
(d) Both (a) and (b)
Answer: (d) Both (a) and (b)
7. Why had Grandpa saved money?
(a) For his grandson
(b) For his funeral
(c) For buying a new medicine bag
(d) For travelling to the city
Answer: (b) For his funeral
8. Martin felt proud of Grandpa for
(a) his courage to travel to the city all alone
(b) adhering to his customs and traditions
(c) carrying the medicine bag around his neck
(d) All of the above
Answer: (a) his courage to travel to the city all alone
9. Joe’s father made a vision quest to find a
(a) medicine bag
(b) spirit guide
(c) sacred sage
(d) secret message
Answer: (b) spirit guide
10. What did Martin’s great-great-grandfather receive in his sacred dream?
(a) White man’s iron
(b) Sacred sage
(c) Iron kettle
(d) Medicine bag
Answer: (a) White man’s iron
Complete the Sentences
1. Martin always bragged about Grandpa because_____________.
Answer: …he wanted to impress his friends by creating a glamorous image of his grandfather that matched the stereotypical Native Americans they saw in movies and on TV.
2. Martin felt so ashamed and embarrassed when Grandpa made a sudden visit to their house because_____________.
Answer: …Grandpa’s real appearance—old, frail, and dressed in a rumpled suit—was the complete opposite of the grand, heroic image Martin had invented for his friends, and he feared being exposed as a liar.
3. Martin’s mother moved forward to embrace Grandpa but checked herself from doing so because_____________.
Answer: …she remembered that according to Sioux custom, such a public display of affection was considered improper and would embarrass him.
4. The scuffed old cowboy boots that Grandpa was wearing were tight because_____________.
Answer: …they were stuffed with the money he had saved for his funeral.
5. Soon after Martin and his family’s visit, Grandpa decided to visit their house in Iowa because _____________.
Answer: …he was feeling lonesome and, sensing his death was near, he knew it was the right time to see his only living descendants and pass on the medicine bag to Martin.
6. Martin felt proud of Grandpa because _____________.
Answer: …he admired the courage of the eighty-six-year-old man, who had never been away from the reservation, for travelling so far all by himself.
7. Grandpa gave the hundred dollars he had saved for his funeral to Martin’s mother because _____________.
Answer: …he did not want to be a financial burden on the family and wanted them to use the money for groceries instead.
8. Grandpa said that he would not have come with them earlier because _____________.
Answer: …according to his beliefs, things must be done only when the time is right, and it was now the proper time for him to pass the medicine bag to Martin.
9. Martin and his family felt guilty when Grandpa travelled all by himself for two days to meet them because _____________.
Answer: …they had not noticed how old, weak, and lonely he had become during their last visit and felt they should have brought him home with them then.
10. Martin’s mother ensured that every summer Martin and his sister spent a week with their great-grandfather on the reservation because _____________.
Answer: …Grandpa was her only remaining family, and she wanted to make sure her children maintained their connection with him.
11. Grandpa gave the money he had saved for his funeral to Martin’s mother because _____________.
Answer: …he did not want to be a burden on the family and insisted they use it for groceries during his stay.
12. Martin made excuses to his friends so that they would not visit Grandpa not fearing they would laugh at Grandpa but because _____________.
Answer: …he was afraid that the reality of his grandfather would threaten his own reputation by exposing the fantastical stories he had told.
13. The first Iron Shell kept the piece of iron with him at all times because _____________.
Answer: …he believed it was a sacred talisman from his vision quest that would protect him from evil.
14. Iron Shell’s son did not take the medicine bag with him in the battle because _____________.
Answer: …he was afraid that he would lose it.
15. Iron Shell realised the significance of seeing a White Man’s iron in his sacred dream because _____________.
Answer: …when he was later forced to work in a blacksmith’s shop at a boarding school, he understood his vision had led him there to learn to work with iron.
Short Answer Questions
1. How did the narrator describe his Grandpa to his friends? Why?
Answer: The narrator, Martin, described his grandfather to his friends by creating a stupendous and glamorous image of him. After his yearly summer visits to the reservation, Martin would tell his friends exciting and concocted stories, making his Grandpa and the reservation sound glamorous. He created a fantastical image of his grandfather in line with the conventional impression of Indians from movies and television, suggesting he was tall and stately like a TV Indian with his hair in braids.
Martin did this because he was a mixed-race teenage boy who felt embarrassed by his mixed identity and did not like the ancestry that threatened his modern identity. He told these stories in an attempt to be accepted by his peers, as he feared losing his popularity and face if they knew the reality. The real Grandpa was not tall and stately, his hair hung in stringy gray strands, he was old, and lived in a part log, part tar-paper shack, which did not match the unrealistic portrayal of Native Americans his friends knew from television and cinema.
2. Why did the narrator never show Grandpa’s picture to his friends?
Answer: The narrator never showed his friends a picture of his Grandpa because he feared the truth about his grandfather would come to the fore. He knew that the glamorous and concocted tales he told about his Grandpa did not match the real person. His friends, who only knew about Indians from movies and TV, would have laughed at the picture.
The reality was that Grandpa was not tall and stately like the TV Indians Martin described. Instead, he was old, his hair was not in braids but hung in stringy gray strands on his neck, and he lived by himself in a part log, part tar-paper shack on the Rosebud Reservation, not in a tepee. Martin was afraid that showing the picture would expose his exaggerations and lead to ridicule from his friends.
3. How did the narrator initially react on seeing Grandpa walking in the middle of the street outside his house?
Answer: When the narrator, Martin, first saw his Grandpa walking down the street, he was shocked and embarrassed. He felt cold and hot at the same time as he recognised the man and whispered, “Oh, no! It’s Grandpa!” He was so ashamed that he felt he could have died and wanted to run and hide. He stood on the curb, unable to move.
Martin found his grandfather’s appearance—a tall black hat with a drooping feather, a rumpled black suit over a bright-red satin shirt, and gray hair straggling from under the hat—to be completely out of place in their neighbourhood. This reality was a stark contrast to the fantastical image he had created for his friends, and he felt like sinking right through the pavement from embarrassment.
4. How did Martin’s mother and sister Cheryl react on seeing Grandpa?
Answer: Martin’s mother was shocked to see Grandpa. When she saw him, her hand was over her mouth, and she looked as if she could not believe what she saw. She gasped and asked how in the world he got there. She was shocked that the grandfather had travelled alone all the way from South Dakota to Iowa. Remembering Sioux customs, she checked her move to embrace Grandpa, as she knew such a display of affection was not considered decent and would embarrass him.
In contrast, Martin’s younger sister, Cheryl, was all smiles and obviously glad to see her grandfather. She burst out of the house, yelling happily, “Grandpa! You came to see us!” She was still young enough to be hugged, and Grandpa stretched out his arms to her. Cheryl was the only one in the family who did not seem to be taken aback by the unexpected visit and hugged the old man happily.
5. Compare and contrast Martin’s behaviour with that of his sister Cheryl’s when Grandpa unexpectedly visited their house.
Answer: Martin’s and Cheryl’s behaviours upon their grandfather’s unexpected visit were completely different, showing the gap between a self-conscious teenager and an uninhibited child. Martin was deeply ashamed and embarrassed by his grandfather’s appearance and the situation. He wanted to run and hide, feeling that his reputation with his friends was threatened. His reaction was one of panic and a desire to sink through the pavement.
Cheryl, on the other hand, reacted with pure joy and excitement. She was all smiles, burst out of the house, and yelled happily upon seeing her grandfather. She was obviously glad he had come and, being a small child, she hugged him without any of the self-consciousness that afflicted Martin. While Martin was worried about appearances, Cheryl’s response was one of simple, genuine affection for her grandfather.
6. What reason did Grandpa give for his unexpected visit to Iowa?
Answer: Grandpa gave two main reasons for his unexpected visit. First, he admitted sheepishly that he was feeling lonesome on the reservation after Martin and his family had left at the end of the summer. He wanted to see where his only living descendants lived and what their home was like.
The second, and more important, reason was that he felt his end was near. He told the family that he had come because it was soon time for Martin to have the medicine bag. He knew he had to follow the tradition of his family to pass the medicine bag, along with its history, to the oldest male child, who was Martin.
7. How did Martin’s friends react after meeting Grandpa? How did it bring about a change in Martin’s feelings about Grandpa?
Answer: Martin’s friends were fascinated with his grandfather and treated him with great respect. When Martin introduced them, they were very polite, shaking Grandpa’s hand and greeting him formally. They listened in awed silence as Grandpa told them stories about his adventures. As they left, they told Martin that his Grandpa was “really great” and that they wanted to come back to see him again.
This reaction brought about a significant change in Martin’s feelings. He was amazed at how respectfully his friends treated his Grandpa and felt quite proud of him. The visit changed Martin’s view of his grandfather, and from that day onwards, he began to see him in a different light. His fear and embarrassment were replaced by pride and a new appreciation for the old man.
8. What sort of feelings did Martin have Grandpa told him that time had come for him to hand over the medicine bag to him?
Answer: When Grandpa told Martin that it was time for him to receive the medicine bag, Martin was horrified and conflicted. He had the same hot and cold feeling that he had when he first saw Grandpa in the street. His immediate thought was about the “dirty leather pouch” and how he could never wear such a thing.
He was troubled by the fear of having to accept the shabby medicine bag. He imagined his friends seeing it in gym class or at the swimming pool and could picture the smart things they would say. Despite his horror and fear of ridicule, he also felt a sense of inevitability. He knew he had to accept his new identity rooted in tradition, so he swallowed hard and understood that he would have to take the bag if it was offered to him.
9. What did Grandpa tell Martin about the connection between the white man’s iron which the first Iron Shell saw in his dream and its role later on his life?
Answer: Grandpa told Martin that his own father, the first Iron Shell, had a sacred dream during a vision quest in which he found the white man’s iron. He did not understand the vision at the time, but after coming down from the butte, he found the broken shell of an iron kettle in a campfire. He took this as a sign, put a piece of the iron in his medicine bag, and kept it as a talisman.
The meaning of the dream became clear later in his life. Iron Shell and other young men were taken by soldiers to a white man’s boarding school. At first, he resisted learning, but one day it was his turn to work in the school’s blacksmith shop. As he walked into the shop, he knew that his medicine had brought him there to learn and work with the white man’s iron. He became a blacksmith and worked at the trade for the rest of his life, thus fulfilling the vision.
10. Explain briefly the significance Martin’s act of accepting the medicine bag from Grandpa.
Answer: Martin’s act of accepting the medicine bag is very significant as it marks his coming-of-age and his acceptance of his heritage. Initially, Martin was horrified by the thought of receiving the “shabby medicine bag,” but he underwent a change of heart. By accepting the bag, he was also accepting his new identity, one rooted in the Sioux tradition and nativity of his maternal family.
The act symbolizes his acceptance of his responsibility towards his mixed heritage. When he later goes to the reservation after his grandfather’s death and puts the sacred sage in the bag as instructed, it signifies his full acceptance of his cultural and spiritual legacy. He is no longer embarrassed but is ready to carry on the culture, customs, and traditions of the Native Americans, thereby honourably accepting the heirloom and his place in the family’s history.
Long Answer Questions
1. Explain Martin’s fear when his grandfather unexpectedly visited them in Iowa. Was he able to dispel those fears later in the story? How?
Answer: Martin’s fear upon his grandfather’s unexpected visit stemmed from his embarrassment and the potential loss of his reputation among his friends. Martin, a mixed-race teenage boy, had created a fantastical and glamorous image of his Native American great-grandfather, telling his friends stories that aligned with the conventional impression of Indians from movies and television. He never showed them a real picture because he knew the reality of his grandfather—an old, frail man who was not tall and stately, whose hair was in stringy gray strands instead of braids, and who lived in a simple shack—did not match the stupendous image he had built. When Grandpa arrived in their Iowa neighborhood looking out of place in his rumpled suit and old hat, Martin was so ashamed and embarrassed he felt he could have died. His primary fear was that his friends would see the real Grandpa, discover his stories were lies, and laugh at him, thus threatening his modern identity and popularity.
Yes, Martin was able to dispel these fears later in the story. The turning point occurred when his friends, against his wishes, came to his house to meet his grandfather. Martin was afraid they would laugh, but the opposite happened. Grandpa, being perceptive and understanding, had dressed in his best clothes, including a fringed leather vest and beaded moccasins, and greeted the boys formally. Instead of mocking him, Martin’s friends were in awe. They were fascinated by his grandfather, listened respectfully to his stories, and told Martin afterward that his grandpa was “really great.”
This event changed Martin’s perspective entirely. He was amazed at how respectfully his friends treated his grandfather and, for the first time, felt proud of him. The genuine admiration from his friends dispelled his fear of being ridiculed and allowed him to see his grandfather not as a source of embarrassment, but as a figure of respect and pride. From that day onwards, Martin began to see his grandfather in a different light, which marked the beginning of his journey toward accepting his heritage.
2. Describe Martin’s relationship with his Grandpa. How did it change over the course of the story?
Answer: At the beginning of the story, Martin’s relationship with his grandfather is characterized by a mixture of love and embarrassment, reflecting a generational and cultural gap. Martin and his sister visited their great-grandfather on the Rosebud Reservation every summer, and Martin clearly held affection for him. However, as a modern teenager with a mixed identity, he was also ashamed of his grandfather’s authentic Native American reality, which did not align with the glamorous, stereotypical image he presented to his friends. This internal conflict is evident in his refusal to show his friends a real picture of Grandpa and his profound embarrassment when Grandpa unexpectedly arrives in Iowa. His initial reaction is one of panic and a desire to hide his grandfather, and he is horrified at the thought of having to accept the “shabby medicine bag.”
Over the course of the story, Martin’s relationship with his grandfather undergoes a significant transformation, moving from shame to proud acceptance. The first major change occurs when Martin’s friends meet Grandpa and react with awe and respect, which makes Martin feel proud instead of embarrassed. This event allows Martin to see his grandfather through new eyes. The relationship deepens further when Grandpa shares the sacred story of the medicine bag, explaining its history and significance as a family legacy passed down through generations of male heirs. This narrative connects Martin to his ancestry and helps him understand the importance of his cultural inheritance.
By the end of the story, Martin’s fear and reluctance have been replaced by a sense of responsibility and love. When Grandpa hands him the medicine bag, Martin accepts it not as a burden, but as an honor. The final act of the story, where Martin stands on the prairie of the reservation after his grandfather’s death and places the sacred sage in the bag, symbolizes the complete transformation of their relationship. Martin has fully accepted his role as the keeper of his family’s legacy, and his relationship with his grandfather has evolved into one of deep respect, understanding, and proud continuation of his heritage.
3. Do you consider ‘The Medicine Bag’ as an appropriate title for the story by Virginia Drive Hawk Sneve? Give reasons to support your answer.
Answer: Yes, I consider ‘The Medicine Bag’ to be a highly appropriate title for the story. The title is suggestive, hinting at a deeper meaning beyond a simple bag of medicine, and it perfectly encapsulates the story’s central focus.
The medicine bag is the most important symbol in the narrative, representing the family’s legacy, culture, tradition, and values. It is a spiritual talisman that connects the generations. The bag’s origin story, tied to the great-great-grandfather’s vision quest and his discovery of a piece of a white man’s iron kettle, is the foundation of the family’s history and even their name, Iron Shell. This heirloom is meant to be passed from father to son, and the entire plot is set in motion by this tradition.
Grandpa’s difficult journey from the reservation to Iowa is driven by his duty to pass the medicine bag to Martin, his only male heir, because he feels his death is approaching. Martin’s internal conflict and character development are also centered around the bag. Initially, he is horrified by the “dirty leather pouch” and fears the ridicule it might bring, which reflects his rejection of his own heritage. However, as he learns its history, his perspective shifts. The climax of the story is the moment he accepts the bag from his grandfather. This act signifies his coming-of-age and his honorable acceptance of his identity and responsibilities. The story concludes with Martin on the reservation, completing the ritual by placing sacred sage in the bag, thus confirming his commitment to his legacy. Because the medicine bag is the catalyst for the plot, the symbol of the central theme, and the measure of the protagonist’s growth, the title is perfectly justified.
4. Explain with reference to the text of the story, ‘The Medicine Bag’, the central theme of the story.
Answer: The central theme of ‘The Medicine Bag’ is the journey of a young person coming to terms with and accepting their cultural heritage, particularly in the context of generational differences and the conflict between tradition and modern life. This theme is explored through the concepts of reality versus fiction and generational conflict.
The theme of reality versus fiction is established at the beginning of the story. Martin, the narrator, creates a “stupendous” and unrealistic image of his Sioux grandfather for his friends, based on movie portrayals of Native Americans. He fears the reality of his grandfather, who is an ordinary old man, and is ashamed of it. This conflict between the fictional image and the authentic person drives Martin’s initial fear and embarrassment. The theme is resolved when Martin’s friends meet the real Grandpa and are genuinely impressed by his dignity and stories, proving that authenticity holds more value than the commercialized fiction Martin had relied on.
This connects to the theme of generational conflict, which is depicted through the three generations in the story. The great-grandfather, Joe Iron Shell, represents the old ways and Sioux traditions. He lives on the reservation and is committed to passing on his family’s legacy. Martin’s parents represent a more modern, assimilated lifestyle. Martin himself is caught in the middle, belonging to a third generation that is part of a modern, urban world but is also the heir to an ancient tradition. His initial embarrassment at his grandfather’s appearance and ways highlights this gap. The medicine bag itself is the focal point of this conflict; Martin’s initial reluctance to accept it symbolizes his struggle with his identity. The story shows how understanding and communication can bridge this generational divide. When Grandpa shares the history of the bag, he passes on not just an object but the values and history of their family, allowing Martin to understand and finally embrace his role. Martin’s ultimate acceptance of the bag signifies his reconciliation of the modern and traditional parts of himself and his proud acceptance of his unique heritage.
5. Describe in your own words the characteristic traits of Grandpa.
Answer: Grandpa, Joe Iron Shell, is a man defined by his deep connection to his family and his cultural traditions, as well as his quiet wisdom and perception.
Physically, he is an eighty-six-year-old man who defies the cinematic stereotype of a Native American. He is not tall and stately; rather, he is old and frail, with stringy gray hair that hangs from under his ever-present black hat. His clothing, like his bright satin shirt and beaded bolo tie, reflects his heritage.
He is deeply affectionate and loving toward his family. This is shown in the handcrafted gifts he made for his great-grandchildren, Martin and Cheryl, and in his arduous two-and-a-half-day bus journey to Iowa, which he undertook because he was lonely and wanted to be with his only descendants before he died. He is also a very considerate and realistic man. He understands that his unexpected arrival might make his family feel guilty, so he reassures them that the time was simply right for his visit. Furthermore, he offers the money he saved for his funeral to his daughter-in-law for groceries, so as not to be a burden.
One of his most notable traits is being perceptive and understanding. He immediately senses Martin’s embarrassment and discomfort. When Martin’s friends come to visit, he intuits the situation and dresses in his finest traditional clothing to present a dignified image, helping to turn a moment of potential shame into one of pride for Martin. He also understands Martin’s hesitation about the medicine bag. He alleviates his great-grandson’s fears by explaining the bag’s history and wisely telling him that he need not wear it in the city, but should keep it safe, showing an understanding that traditions must sometimes adapt to new times and places.
Above all, Grandpa is committed to his traditions. He lives on the Rosebud Reservation, maintaining his connection to the Sioux way of life. His final purpose is to fulfill the sacred duty of passing the medicine bag and its history to Martin, his only male heir, ensuring that his family’s culture and legacy will continue.
Extra MCQs
1. Where did Martin and his sister Cheryl visit every summer?
A. New York
B. South Dakota
C. Los Angeles
D. Chicago
Answer: B. South Dakota
27. What is the overall message of the story?
A. Appreciate your elders
B. Modern life is better
C. Respect cultural heritage
D. Let go of old traditions
Answer: C. Respect cultural heritage
Extra questions and answers
1. Where did the narrator Martin and his sister live?
Answer: Martin and his sister Cheryl lived in Iowa with their parents.
41. Write a note on Iron Shell’s life.
Answer: Iron Shell, an important figure in the story, led a life deeply rooted in Native American culture and traditions. His life represents the perseverance and strength of character necessary to maintain cultural integrity and heritage. Iron Shell’s experiences, particularly his vision quest and the creation of the medicine bag, are pivotal in preserving and passing down the family’s traditions and values to future generations. His life story is a testament to the importance of cultural heritage and identity.
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