Grandfather Vs Connor

Imprisoned: A Study on the Connors

Proverbially, the lion will lie down with the lamb, and the future will be full of promise, but can the same be said of the bear and the canary? This conundrum is explored in the relationship of Grandfather and Grandmother Connor. Grandfather is sturdy and solid, yet feared, as a bear is feared. Contrarily, Grandmother is gentle and sweet, taking little but giving much, as a canary raises spirits when it trills its songs. The symbolic bear and canary demonstrate the numerous differences, physically and characteristically between Grandmother and Grandfather Connor. The vivid imagery of Grandmother’s caged bird and Grandfather’s coat expertly connotes the feeling of captivity in their respective lives. Can
two people of such different temperament and outlook be happy together? Agnes and Timothy Connor make a life together, but the animals which symbolise the two show the difficulty they face, imprisoned in their intertwined lives.

Grandfather Connor’s coat is an imposing article of clothing, yet “it had been one ordinary brown bear and it had come, sad to say, from no more fabled a place than Galloping Mountain” (55).
The coat’s history parallels Grandfather’s origins as an ordinary pioneer journeying to Manawaka. Over the years he made a name for himself, as is reflected in the transformation of the ordinary bearskin into a striking coat. Like a bear is fierce, yet a protective parent, Grandfather is unapproachable, yet a good provider. Grandmother’s fragile pet canary, by contrast, is symbolic of Grandmother - physically delicate, yet adding happiness to the lives of those around her, as those who hear a canary in song thrill to the cheerful melody. The main effect of the portrayal of Grandfather as an imposing, immovable bear is to starkly contrast Grandmother’s gentle, bird-like
ways.

To further contrast Grandmother and Grandfather Connor, the concept of captivity is introduced. The caged bird, and the bear that has been forever trapped as a lifeless article of clothing, represent the imprisonment of both Grandmother and Grandfather. Grandfather is emotionally distant, having no doubt been taught from boyhood to mask his emotions. He is trapped in the fact that he cannot express his feelings properly, and so resorts to the only way he knows how to make himself understood - angry retorts and an icy attitude. The huge effect of this is when he emotionally collapses after Grandmother Connor’s death, and sobs on granddaughter Vanessa's shoulder, leaving Vanessa confused and uncomfortable (37). Having always deeply masked any softer feelings, the family cannot see him through a softer lens. He has set up a barrier for himself which can never be broken. By contrast, Grandmother Connor is trapped because of Grandfather Connor. She pays the price of living with a stubborn man - her opinion is automatically discounted, and she is scrutinised and belittled by her husband. She is never told that she is appreciated by Grandfather, and he refuses to compromise with her, even when she pleads with him. In these ways, both Connors are caged by their lives.
In conclusion, symbolism is used in the form of specific animals to represent Agnes and Timothy Connor.
The bird and the bear show the contrasting personalities and captivity both characters demonstrate and face. The animals also symbolise the different ways people deal with captivity. Grandfather and Grandmother are both trapped, as canary must stay in its cage and a circus bear is kept penned. They deal with this confinement differently, and this is how the animals best symbolise them. Grandmother realises she is stuck, and makes the best of it, like a canary sings. Grandfather is restless always - pacing his cage, hating his captivity. Grandmother responds to her situation with heightened love for her family, while Grandfather turns from joy and wallows in his anger. Grandmother receives hope from her religious convictions, and hope is what marks the difference in her attitude. She follows her moral principles in love, while Grandfather follows his in duty. Though held captive, only Grandmother rises above her situation, because she realises the transformative power of
hope.