Research sugar beet farming. Is the author’s depiction of the way that this industry has impacted communities in the Red River Valley accurate? What real-life points of connection can you find between the industrialization of modern farming and these characters’ experiences?

Research the history of the Anishinaabe people in the Red River Valley, especially the way that settler-colonialism impacted their communities. How can you see evidence of tension between white and Indigenous peoples reflected in this text?

Consider how other works by Louise Erdrich might be in dialogue with The Mighty Red? Pick one of her other texts and identify and explore common themes between it and The Mighty Red.