Louise Erdrich's stories combine wildly dynamic characters with metaphorical language and supernatural elements to create tales that defy the demarcations of cultural reality. In his stories "Plunge of the Brave", "Scales", and "Fleur", Erdrich uses magical realism to help the mystical elements seem more relatable to readers. The tales, while otherwise simple, are imbued with touches of colorful language and mystical descriptions that, many critics argue, classify Erdrich as a magical realist author. He uses magical realism in his stories to encourage readers to reconsider perceived ideas and question the given realities of ethnic or cultural groups. By adding some elements of the supernatural, Erdrich invites readers to expand their knowledge of different cultures and perceptions of the world. According to Shannin Schroeder in “Rediscovering Magical Realism in the Americas,” “magical realism is a literary genre directly related to writers whose cultures have been threatened or destroyed by a more powerful or dominant culture” (Schroeder, 139). Erdrich, who is a member of the Chippewa tribe, could easily be considered part of that collection of authors. In her writing, she “brings her ancestral culture to bear on the contemporary settings of her text” because magical realism allows her to address both realities to which she is accustomed: her Chippewa heritage and her Westernized beliefs (139). The supernatural aspects of his stories, while strange in some cultures, would not prove "mystical" in most native cultures. However, for most readers, “Erdrich's Native American heritage is no longer familiar… yet, when he uses the magical realist mode, they still read there… in the middle of the paper… he expressed discomfort with labeling his work as “magical realism,” explaining that “the events that people identify as magical don't seem unreal to me” (91). He is also quoted as saying that "there is no quantifiable reality" (91). For you personally, multiple realities exist and are not limited by any cultural beliefs or practices. In these stories, Erdrich helps readers suspend their own reality long enough to see that other realities exist. In this way, it is expanding readers' overall perception of the world. The dual intertwining of magical and literal language helps to create a truly unique intercultural exchange between author and reader. Erdrich's stories, while extremely entertaining, can also teach readers about respect for differences, tolerance, and acceptance of other cultures, all extremely relevant lessons in today's world..