This Canadian novelist and short story writer has written four novels Three Day Road (2005), Through Black Spruce (2008), The Orenda in (2013), and his most resent Wenjack in (2016), three Non-fiction books, From Mushkegowuk to New Orleans: A Mixed Blood Highway (2008), Extraordinary Canadians: Louis Riel and Gabriel Dumont (2010), and Kwe: Standing With Our Sisters (2014), and one short story “Born With a Tooth” (2001). Joseph Boyden’s writing style in Through Black Spruce is very different as it is told by two different narrators who alternate telling their side of the story each chapter. Using this way of story telling the author has many instances of foreshadowing between both stories. He uses mostly informal language through out this story, and is definitely not afraid of throwing out a few swears every so often. The main influences of the story were the Ojibwe people and native people in…
In her story, The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold illustrates the idea of dealing with grief by forcing the reader to suffer with Susie and her broken family. The death of a loved one can sometimes cause a person to experience the five stages of grief, and as a result, the person accepts loss and moves on. As Susie remains in the “in-between”, the five stages of grief are shown through each member of Susie’s family throughout the story as they try to cope with the tragedy of her death. Jack Salmon, Susie’s father is a major character who suffers a lot of pain after the disappearance of Susie. When Susie goes missing Jack has hope, he thinks she is still alive.…
Essay #2 In the prose text Little Bull, Blair Yoxall uses references to the passage of time to draw attention to the aspects of morality that are mutable, as well as the inertia that is characteristic of others. In providing this perspective on the relationship between time and morality, Yoxall is able to demonstrate how the aspects of an individual’s morality that have the greatest tendency to change are those for which they will be held accountable by external sources. Accordingly, the exhibition of resistance to the development in moral standards is observed when accountability is no longer a factor.…
In Norman Maclean’s text, Young Men and Fire, the reader is revealed an emotional and heart-wrenching tale of 13 smokejumpers that lose their lives on a seemingly ordinary day of wildfire fighting. The choice of recounting this tale in a Greek-story format shows us the academic, intellectual prowess of Maclean and his want to not only talk about the historical facts and testimony, but to meet the reader in his heart and express emotions that fill the empty factual spaces. Maclean says, “A storyteller, unlike a historian, must follow compassion wherever it leads him. He must be able to accompany his characters, even into smoke and fire, and bear witness to what they thought and felt even when they themselves no longer knew.” Throughout the text, we constantly see examples of Maclean’s complete and utter obsession over this event, and how that drives him in a relentless pursuit of the truth about what happened.…
In 419 by Will Ferguson, there are characteristics of a postmodern Canadian novel. The definition of a “Canadian novel” has changed through the literature movements. Creating moral order and controlling landscapes was used in the colonial period and then, in the confederation period that followed, there was emphasis on nationalism and defining what it was to be Canadian. Nationalism in literature was important because it was necessary for the survival of the country in order to prevent the culture from being overpowered. The novel 419 fits in the categories of literature that came after the confederation period.…
No Apparent Distress is the coming-of-age story of Rachel Pearson as she navigates through her unexpected journey of coming to be a doctor. Originally Pearson planned on becoming a writer; however, in the summer of her last year of college, Pearson takes up a job at an abortion clinic. Little did she know that the stories of the women she would counsel would inspire her to become a medical professional. Through years of medical education and training, Pearson learns that there is more to being a doctor than she had ever imagined. Dr. Rachel Pearson grew to become the doctor she is today not only through education, but also through her relationships with her family, peers, and patients.…
Storytelling is a way to communicate to society in a way that creates a relatable instance such that the reader can see themselves, or a version of themselves, within the story. Storytelling also is a way to demonstrate the struggles of other individuals within a society that a reader my not experience directly, but can nonetheless gain a broader understanding of different struggles within society. Although there are many ways to utilize storytelling techniques, I will apply the approach of Rites of Passage to three of the novels we’ve read this semester. The Rites of Passage that I will be analyzing are those within the stories, Houseboy, Woman at Point Zero, and A Walk in the Night. In these stories I will argue that through the characters ', Toundi, Firdaus, and Willieboy, Rites of Passage there is a physical altercation that caused a stunt in their ability to grow emotionally as a character, thus disabling them to continue to their ultimate stage of their reincorporation into society.…
In Anthony F.C. Wallace’s The Death and Rebirth of The Seneca, the narrator examines the Huron tribe’s practice of “war parties” - taking people hostage to avenge their battle casualties. More specifically, he targets the story of a particular victim named Joseph, who was taken by the Huron for the very same practice. In considering the evolution of his tale from kidnapping to death, the narrator touches upon important sociological concepts, including status in society and its rules, social consciousness, the motivations of suicide, the normality of action, the idea of the “organized game,” the language of movement, the notion of the looking-glass self, and the concept of the “marginal man.” With a status in society comes responsibilities. As Ralph Linton said in his essay, Status and Role, “[Status and role] become models for organizing the attitudes and behavior of the individual so that these will be congruous with those of the other individuals participating in the expression of the pattern” (Linton 202).…
Moving to Canada was very difficult because I didn't know anyone and the environment was very unfamiliar. I was culture shocked. I'm not going to say that my English was awful but it wasn't superb either. I didn't have any friends and I've never felt so alone in my life. I was proud of myself because I really strived to better my English so I can improve my conversation skills.…
The novel, Into the Wild, written by Jon Krakauer, is a riveting, cautionary tale about the death of Chris McCandless, a young man who embarks on a journey to Alaska to seek the truth of happiness through the solitude of nature and free himself from the constraints of society. No doubt, the ongoing theme throughout Krakauer’s novel is the dysfunctional father-son relationship between Chris and his dad. In fact, McCandless died before he had the chance to grow out of his anger. Into the Wild examines the fatal expedition of Chris McCandless as he breaks all ties from society and challenges his ability to survive in the wilderness. Through the use of primary sources, situational irony, and syntax, Krakauer thoroughly captures the compelling tragedy of Chris McCandless.…
As we jump “Into the Wild” story of Chris McCandless’s journey throughout the Alaskan wilderness, Jon Krakaur, the author uses rhetorical devices to further delve into the novel and the underlying points of McCandless’s adventure. In the novel, “Into the Wild”, Jon Krakaur uses pathos, imagery, and arrangement to solve the overarching questions related to motive, the effects of setting, and the mental state of Chris McCandless. These uses of rhetorical devices also help readers formulate opinions on McCandless and other Characters in the novel. The use of pathos in “Into the Wild” creates empathy for the people he affected in his lifetime and his family.…
Canada’s identity has always been considered to be a cultural mosaic of many international elements. On the surface, it may seem difficult to describe what exactly is the culture of this vast country. However, if one examines the history of Canadian art and compares it to the development of Canadian identity, one can easily discern their correlation. The rise of Canadian artistic expression in the 20th century greatly contributed to the Canadian identity by illustrating the growing nationalism in accompaniment to a stronger sense of independence. The evolution of the various sectors of art, such as the unique Canadian landscapes painted by the Group of Seven, the distinctive aboriginal folklore and songs gathered and promoted by Helen Creighton,…
An analysis of contrasting approaches to topics of the Japanese Canadian Internment camps The Japanese internment camps reflect a dark time in Canadian history, where mass fear and racial hatred led to a tragic violation of human rights and liberties. Two articles, “Passing Time, Moving Memories: Interpreting Wartime Narratives of Japanese Canadian Women” by Pamela Sugiman and “British Columbia and the Japanese Evacuation” By Peter Ward, take on contrasting approaches to this issue, with the former noticeably more intimate and in depth in its approach in collecting information about the internment camps. In this article analysis I will provide detail about the key arguments in each article, compare their respective approaches and content,…
Atwood’s representation of the landscape and the wilderness in “Death by Landscape” is employed to symbolize the inscribing of Atwood’s portrayal of the self in a post-colonial setting; as it foregrounds a post-colonial topic. The symbolic usage of the landscape illustrates the explorations of the national and geographical identities, social class, and the psychological boundaries. The wilderness illustrates the hierarchical constructions of gendered and national identities. On the margins of the state of empire, Atwood situates her story in both the landscape and the city. Both the city and the wilderness function, in differing ways, as a vehicle and a symbolic locus for the ethic identity’s strata, the historical and cultural experience, and the social class; as these meanings are portrayed through Lois and Lucy.…
Our question is purposefully vague. When did Job live? When were parts of the book written? When did it reach the form in which we read it now?…