A Bird in the House. Essay

A Bird in the House

Introduction

A Bird in the House is a short story sequence written by Margaret Laurence. In her novel the author elevates the theme of physical entrapment. The title “a bird in the house” is full symbolism signifying a hidden soul of sorrow. In around eight interrelated written stories, Margaret Laurence recreates the world of Vanessa MacLeod a granddaughter of a tyrant woman who lived as perfectionist though under depression. Vanessa grows in a homestead that offers her physical, social and emotional confinement. She was not around to meet her friends or engage herself in anything that went beyond the around her home. That not withstand, her father is also entrapped in similar circumstances that persists till his death. Aspects such as a world of scrub-oak, willow, and chokecherry bushes of family love and conflict and of a girl’s growing awareness of and passage into womanhood it is true that all the stories are blend into one masterly and touching whole poignant, compassionate, and profound in emotional impact created by confinement (Stovel 2006). A Bird in the House speaks of family love, duty and the pain of death as well. The conflict and emotions are exposed in a very fine way in the narrative that also develops such as when Vanessa 's father dies rapidly owing to flu, Vanessa misses him dreadfully and doesn 't know how to handle with her grief. The poem puts forward a theme of entrapment and a fight for freedom by all members of the same family. The sense of confinement and the need for escape is seen throughout the narrative (Laurence 2010) Birds represent a class of animals who are vertebrates and live in nature. They have the ability to fly and roam all over the wilderness and the sky. The story the bird in the house manifests a theme of entrapment. This theme represents confinement which is experienced Vanessa’s father. This theme is perpetuated by her grandmother, MacLeod who is believed to love order. Macleod behaves as if nothing has changed and even after experiencing depression her house was her confinement. Similarly, Vanessa’s father recounts that the house remained the same, and therefore Macleod believed that other things should remain the same as well. Almost everybody in this family goes through entrapment, which led to detachment. This detachment was even worse when it led to emotional alienation (Kratt 1991). Such environment gave Vanessa psychological shock, she never felt happy at home. Indeed, she claimed that Macleod’s home never seemed like a home to her. Her grandfather’s corner was another symbol of confinement in the story. In this corner Vanessa experienced alienations and she grew without interacting with other people especially those who lived outside her grandfathers’ corner. She results to writing stories about escape, death, love and pioneers. On the other hand, Vanessa’s father Ewen experienced such confinement. He carried guilt ridden feelings for the death of his brother Rod who died in the war. According to the author Beth, Ewen’s wife confirms that the death of Rod propelled Ewen to come back home and even decide to pursue medicine. Even as he continues support his parents and attempt to seal the gap that was left by his brother, Ewen, recounts that he had more freedom at war than within his house hold. In fact due to this guilt Ewen named his son Roderick after at his brother. Conclusion Noreen a house keeper who was hired by Vanessa’s father takes the courage to expound to Vanessa that the bird in the house signified ‘death in the house’. This came to reality soon after, Ewen dies and therefore his guilt is taken away and goes into eternal rest. A Bird in the House attained the breadth of range which uses the techniques to reveal the different aspects of the young Vanessa. The stories in A Bird in the House show the pains that Vanessa goes through while growing up. The bird ends in a dramatic, painful and tragic manner.
References
Kratt, M. (1991). A bird in the house: A Story of Wing haven Garden. New York, NY: Wing Haven Foundation, publishers
Laurence, M. (2010). A bird in the House. New York, NY: McClelland and Stewart Publishers.
Stovel, N. (2006). Divining Margaret Laurence: A Study of Her Complete Writings. Quebec, Canada: McGill-Queen’s Press.

References: Kratt, M. (1991). A bird in the house: A Story of Wing haven Garden. New York, NY: Wing Haven Foundation, publishers Laurence, M. (2010). A bird in the House. New York, NY: McClelland and Stewart Publishers. Stovel, N. (2006). Divining Margaret Laurence: A Study of Her Complete Writings. Quebec, Canada: McGill-Queen’s Press.