1. All in all all of the characters had an item to they would risk for something they want. In Erdrich and Gilb it was a car. Erdrich wanted Henry's sanity back and Gilb wanted to get in touch with the girl. For Espanda it was the instruments traded in for a high and better feeling past the poverty of unsuccessful musicans.
2. Gilb: Key idea was freedom
2.1. He had the freedom to do what he wanted and tried to get the number of the girl but didn't yet still had the freedom to go on and think about fixing his car using money.
2.1.1. Jake loved his freedom and was thinking about changing his radio.
2.1.1.1. Sees a girl and hits her car to pull her aside and have a chat with her " It didn" Even scratch the paint,...So how you doin? Any damage to the car..."(Gilb 433)
3. Erdrich: Key idea was money and sanity
3.1. How sanity in some cases can be brung back through memory in this case through money. (convert able)
3.1.1. The brothers were split because henry had to go to the arm : " We got home just in time, it turned out, for the army to remember Henry had signed up to join it " (Erdrich page 3)
3.1.1.1. Henry changed when he came back he was completely different not the same Henry as before : "When he came home, though, Henry was very different, and Ill say this : The change was no good" (Erdrich page 4)
3.1.2. After the restaurant burned down the brother received money from the insurance and the brothers decide to spend it on a car.
3.1.2.1. The brother of Henry decided to bang up the car in order to bring is old brother worked for a bit but then the brother was lost in the lake. "And then there was only the water, the sound of it going and running"(Erdrcih page 8)
4. Espanda : key idea was instruments and drugs.
4.1. How drugs took a turn on the musician careers
4.1.1. Musicians gave in their instruments for money to buy drugs
4.1.2. The instruments are waiting to be played again