The Canadian nation has been shaped in myriad ways and has been documented as well as interpreted by countless individuals. Canadian Studies 4611: Reading in Canada has highlighted pivotal works the have influenced the critical conversation within the country: how Canada is – or was – and why it is that way. This essay will explore the work of Margaret Atwood, Northrup Frye and Charles Taylor in order to illustrate the status of Canada within their work and highlight if and how their writing have impacted the country.
According to Margaret Atwood, national self-knowledge is a worthwhile pursuit because it is valuable for a nation, as Canadians should understand what they are like. In her book Survival: A Thematic Guide to Canadian Literature, …show more content…
10). It can be argued that identity is largely based on a shared experience amongst a nations people, which works to create a national identity. Canadian literature acts as a unifying measure that allows the nations citizens the ability to assess what makes Canadians Canadian. Atwood prescribes that a countries literature can assist one in boiling down what is known to find a symbol of the nation – Canadian identity in the case of Canada (Seminar Notes Sept. 10). The act of boiling down the literature “reflect[s the] national habit of mind” (Atwood 13) as one attempts to answer the question of ‘where is here’? Atwood states "a person who is 'here' but would rather be somewhere else is an exile or prisoner; a person who is 'here' but thinks he is somewhere else is insane" (Atwood 18, Seminar Notes Sept. 10). This idea of ‘here’ and how someone can assert themselves into the …show more content…
The literature itself has worked to highlight the importance of Canadians understanding their nation rather than fall upon outsiders as a means of cultural conversation. Both Atwood and Frye’s texts are almost 40 years old, and there have been many different things that have occurred since then (Seminar Notes Sept. 10). Are the ideals of Atwood and Frye – surviving the frontier and looking at the world from the outside in, within a garrison – far beyond what Canadians identify with today, or even at the time of their print? Atwood asserts that "'there' is always more important than 'here' or that 'here' is just another, inferior version of 'there'" (Atwood 18); however, not identifying with a certain element does not deny that the story is being told. Atwood and Frye, as writers, are working to identify patters and where they come from: historically, geographically and in nature – different than any other countries in the world (Seminar Notes Sept. 10). This resonates with the earlier mention of having national self-knowledge and what literature, and the lived experience, can tell us about Canada. Atwood and Frye perpetuate aspects that Canadians can see and experience
According to Margaret Atwood, national self-knowledge is a worthwhile pursuit because it is valuable for a nation, as Canadians should understand what they are like. In her book Survival: A Thematic Guide to Canadian Literature, …show more content…
10). It can be argued that identity is largely based on a shared experience amongst a nations people, which works to create a national identity. Canadian literature acts as a unifying measure that allows the nations citizens the ability to assess what makes Canadians Canadian. Atwood prescribes that a countries literature can assist one in boiling down what is known to find a symbol of the nation – Canadian identity in the case of Canada (Seminar Notes Sept. 10). The act of boiling down the literature “reflect[s the] national habit of mind” (Atwood 13) as one attempts to answer the question of ‘where is here’? Atwood states "a person who is 'here' but would rather be somewhere else is an exile or prisoner; a person who is 'here' but thinks he is somewhere else is insane" (Atwood 18, Seminar Notes Sept. 10). This idea of ‘here’ and how someone can assert themselves into the …show more content…
The literature itself has worked to highlight the importance of Canadians understanding their nation rather than fall upon outsiders as a means of cultural conversation. Both Atwood and Frye’s texts are almost 40 years old, and there have been many different things that have occurred since then (Seminar Notes Sept. 10). Are the ideals of Atwood and Frye – surviving the frontier and looking at the world from the outside in, within a garrison – far beyond what Canadians identify with today, or even at the time of their print? Atwood asserts that "'there' is always more important than 'here' or that 'here' is just another, inferior version of 'there'" (Atwood 18); however, not identifying with a certain element does not deny that the story is being told. Atwood and Frye, as writers, are working to identify patters and where they come from: historically, geographically and in nature – different than any other countries in the world (Seminar Notes Sept. 10). This resonates with the earlier mention of having national self-knowledge and what literature, and the lived experience, can tell us about Canada. Atwood and Frye perpetuate aspects that Canadians can see and experience