Laurence, "The Loons" (1970)
First published in A Bird in the House, 1970
narrator: not limited omniscient, which would allow insight into other minds; but participant, albeit reflective, showing emergence over time of empathy with others, especially Piquette (albeit inconsequential)
- Piquette's speech, mannerisms, where she lives, how she dies; changing of name of lake -- ethnic other/loss of identity;
- Vanessa imposes her own on Piquette, a "noble savage" in touch with nature; but Piquette "a dead loss" as an Indian (200);
- mother's motivation for Piquette coming that summer is false; grandmother: stubborn, close-minded, opposite of father
- town sees Piquette and family as half breeds; satisfies expectations when she dies; her family: outcasts, outsiders, "half-breeds"; drunk, get into brawls;
- Piquette's change: chooses another stereotype by marrying
- issues of belonging: Tonnerres were neither Cree nor French (197); Vannessa's discomfort with Piquette; shows how Piquette cannot belong in this world;
- symbolism: Piquette/loon metaphor, i.e., parallel of loons and Piquette; inability to change themselves and their environment; loons unable to adapt to modern human invasion; Piquette unable to escape the cultural stereotypes imposed on her;
- note race and gender issues, here a deadly combination: i.e., how Piquette can define her life only in terms of gender and racial stereotypes laid out for her; long shadow of colonialism here (as in other work by Laurence)
- lyricism of language describing setting, a realist impression of independent natural forces operative around cottage; no special accommodation for humans (excludes native wisdom, apparently) (e.g., setting, p. 200);
The Metis. See this page for an account of their history.
Pauline Johnson (p. 199). Writer and poet (1861-1913), born of native father and English mother. The lines "West Wind, blow from your prairie nest" are from the first verse of her poem "The Song My Paddle Sings," one of her best known pieces. For a biography see this page.
Margaret Laurence page: short biography; another. Manawaka, the fictional town in several of Laurence's works is based on Neepawa, Manitoba.
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Document prepared October 23rd 3002