Canadian Literature Comparison
The Canadian wilderness is both vast and overwhelmingly beautiful. Covering a total area of over nine-million square kilometres, Canada possesses some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. From its lush, green forests and tremendous mountain ranges, to its flat plains and Arctic tundra, the Canadian wilderness is truly awe-inspiring. This leaves little wonder as to why so many Canadian authors become so inspired by their surroundings that they are forced to express their wonderment on paper. Susanna Moodie, a British emigrant from England, was one of the first authors to be so inspired. Her Roughing it in the Bush (1852) series deals with the trials and tribulations of being a pioneer settler in early Canada. Almost one hundred years later, A.J.M. Smith, a Canadian poet and teacher, also felt the need to write about the country that inspired him so. The writings of both of these authors rely heavily upon the inspiration given to them by their natural surroundings, and it is interesting to note the different roles that the wilderness takes on in these writings. In the literature created by these two authors, the wilderness takes on three distinct personalities. Upon examination of a couple of key texts, we can observ
However, upon her arrival in Canada, she came to the stark realization that certain aspects of this new life were not going to be as wonderful as she had been led to believe. The Canadian wilderness is undeniably aesthetically pleasing. In her Pioneer Memoir, Roughing it in the Bush, she often mentions the bitter cold of the Canadian winter. In a review of The Lonely Land, George Woodcock states: "The familiar cedar and firs and wild ducks' calls in a poem like " The Lonely Land" leads us into a landscape in its feeling as mythological as any painted by Poussin for the encounters of Gods and mortals. The use of the words "jagged", and "sharp barbs", gives a negative connotation to Smith's initial description of the scene. Susanna Moodie, while roughing it in the bush encountered many wild animals, and also heard others tell of their encounters. Although his poem begins with the description of a harsh, grey and windy lake setting, the poem concludes with the acknowledgement of the beauty that exists in the same scene. " (97)Moodie becomes so very amazed at the sight of this mountain range and surrounding forest that she actually begins to cry, overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of it all. Moodie often complains about her harsh surroundings, but yet, is so in awe at the beauty of her surroundings that she must also write about them as well. She notes that "[Moodie] speaks of the 'solemn grandeur' of the lakes and the rivers, the 'silver gleam of the river tumbling on in moonlight splendour'.
Common topics in this essay:
Lonely Land,
Roughing Bush,
Susanna Moodie,
Grosse Isle,
Smith Canadian,
,
John Ferns,
AJM Smith,
Canadian Outdoors,
Kim Stringer,
canadian wilderness,
susanna moodie,
lonely land,
roughing bush,
poem lonely,
poem lonely land,
ajm smith,
bitter cold,
smith poem lonely,
wildlife makes,
mountain range,
beauty exists,
susanna moodie british,
|
Acceptance Essays
