The search for identity in the Manawaka novels of Margaret Laurence
LE3 .A278 1976
1976
Fredericks, Carrie
Acadia University
Bachelor of Arts
Honours
English
English & Theatre Studies
The search for identity is one of the many themes explored by Margaret Laurence in her novels. This paper will examine the themes of identity in the following novels: The Stone Angel (1964), A Jest of God (1966), The Fire-Dwellers (1969), and The Diviners (1974). All of these novels are a departure from Ms. Laurence's earlier works on Africa and the setting, for the most part, is a Canadian one. In each of the novels, the central character is a woman haunted by a troubled past that can never be totally exorcised; for each, the ties with the past are enduring and inescapable. However, a conscious awareness of the past and the knowledge that it can never be changed instigates both conscious and sub-conscious voyages of self-discovery in each of the novels. In the Stone Angel, Hagar Shipley experiences her revelation at the close of a long life filled with bitterness and recrimination. Rachel Cameron, in A Jest of God, after a period of self-examination decides to leave behind a restrictive small town environment in favour of a new way of life. Stacey MacAindra, in The Fire-Dwellers, Learns to reconcile her individual identity with that of wife and mother. Morag Gunn of The Diviners experiences her moment of truth at ta time when she thinks she is losing her gift as a writer. Thus, the search for identity is a thematic concern in each of Margaret Laurence's novels. It is hoped that this paper will reveal various thematic insights and serve to clarify the themes of identity and self-discovery in Ms. Laurence's work.
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