Discuss One of the Literary Works on the Course Reading List. Looking at the Settings, the Characters, and/or the Themes of the Book, What Does It Tell You About Canada and Canadian Culture? " Maria Chapdelaine", by Louis Hémon,
Discuss one of the literary works on the Course Reading List. Looking at the settings, the characters, and/or the themes of the book, what does it tell you about Canada and Canadian culture?
" Maria Chapdelaine", by Louis Hémon,
" Maria Chapdelaine", written by French author Louis Hémon, represents
Canadian identity, its cultural and social aspects. Even though the book seems quite easy to
read, the story is, in fact, pretty complex to comprehend - it is truly philosophical, there are
many ways to analyze it. In my opinion, book introduces north Canadians lifestyle and
difficulties they face, through the prism of relationship with the Nature, God and other
people. The matter of the nature presented as both settings and the human nature is the
dominant one.
First major theme that catches attention while reading the story of “Maria
Chapdelaine”, is the Nature as the environment. It does not only serve as an artistic decision
to illustrate the narrative or enlighten the situation by giving more precise view of the
surroundings, but also represents Canadian people daily life, their link with Mother Nature. I
must state, that Nature is not very motherly, furthermore life in the north is difficult, as it is
very well defined by Ephrem Surprenant as rough and hard. Even at very beginning, the
description of the undenyingly marvelous environment creates gloomy atmosphere, the drive
home through forests, on dangerously melted ice, leaving the civilization behind... This gives
an impression that Chapdelaine family members are tough - living in solitude, working
extremely long and hard, perpetually fighting the Nature for creating better conditions for
living, where every " victory", such as successful "making of land" made in time, might be
followed by meager harvest- they do not lose hope and courage to move on. Nature is the one in charge - people live following the natural
" Maria Chapdelaine", by Louis Hémon,
" Maria Chapdelaine", written by French author Louis Hémon, represents
Canadian identity, its cultural and social aspects. Even though the book seems quite easy to
read, the story is, in fact, pretty complex to comprehend - it is truly philosophical, there are
many ways to analyze it. In my opinion, book introduces north Canadians lifestyle and
difficulties they face, through the prism of relationship with the Nature, God and other
people. The matter of the nature presented as both settings and the human nature is the
dominant one.
First major theme that catches attention while reading the story of “Maria
Chapdelaine”, is the Nature as the environment. It does not only serve as an artistic decision
to illustrate the narrative or enlighten the situation by giving more precise view of the
surroundings, but also represents Canadian people daily life, their link with Mother Nature. I
must state, that Nature is not very motherly, furthermore life in the north is difficult, as it is
very well defined by Ephrem Surprenant as rough and hard. Even at very beginning, the
description of the undenyingly marvelous environment creates gloomy atmosphere, the drive
home through forests, on dangerously melted ice, leaving the civilization behind... This gives
an impression that Chapdelaine family members are tough - living in solitude, working
extremely long and hard, perpetually fighting the Nature for creating better conditions for
living, where every " victory", such as successful "making of land" made in time, might be
followed by meager harvest- they do not lose hope and courage to move on. Nature is the one in charge - people live following the natural