Tracks

by

Louise Erdrich

Dutch James Character Analysis

A man who works at the butcher shop in Argus, who gambles with Fleur and then attacks her for her consistent winnings. Dutch lives with Pauline’s Aunt Regina, and is the only one of the three men to survive the storm after Fleur’s attack, though he loses some extremities to frostbite.
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Dutch James Character Timeline in Tracks

The timeline below shows where the character Dutch James appears in Tracks. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2: Summer 1913, Miskomini-geezis, Raspberry Sun
Tradition, Assimilation, and Religion Theme Icon
Gender Roles Theme Icon
...shop owned by Pete Kozka. Her coworkers are three men: Lily Veddar, Tor Grunewald, and Dutch James. Pauline’s Aunt Regina has remarried to Dutch James, though he hasn’t adopted her son... (full context)
Gender Roles Theme Icon
Birth, Death, and Survival Theme Icon
...and they struggle. The other men chase Fleur to the smokehouse. Russell tries to stop Dutch in his pursuit of Fleur, but Dutch throws the boy off. Pauline closes her eyes... (full context)
Self-Destruction vs. Outside Influences Theme Icon
The Importance of Nature in Indigenous Life Theme Icon
...inside the lockers. The building is trembling. Pauline and Russell, panicked, scream for Fleur, Regina, Dutch—“any of them”—when suddenly everything goes totally still. The door of the locker remains shut, and... (full context)
Gender Roles Theme Icon
Self-Destruction vs. Outside Influences Theme Icon
Birth, Death, and Survival Theme Icon
...dead, huddled around a card game. When the bodies are pulled out, it’s determined that Dutch James is still alive. (full context)
Chapter 4: Winter 1914-Summer 1917, Meen-geezis, Blueberry Sun
Gender Roles Theme Icon
Birth, Death, and Survival Theme Icon
Pauline reveals that she left Argus because the men haunt her dreams. Dutch James, the only survivor of the night of the tornado, ails in bed, slowly losing... (full context)
Gender Roles Theme Icon
Birth, Death, and Survival Theme Icon
...of Bernadette’s daughters, and Philomena the younger. Pauline tells Bernadette that her Aunt Regina and Dutch had beaten her when she lived with them in Argus, and this lie convinces Bernadette... (full context)