Exploring the big ideas (themes) from the author Social and historical context of women
Alice Monro
Short story form as a median Lived experience of sad condition in this rural society Authenticity - where she was born, where she grew up Role of women in a rural Canadian society Everyone knows everyone business Big Ideas
Social classes (greater or less autonomy, individuality and role) Munro’s writing
Stories that are episodic Emotional development of girls and women Movement from future-present-past-beyond Reveals the barriers to women’s autonomy (self-governing) and individuality Munro is a writer “on the side of women” Draws from personal experiences - circumstances - inner life (internal dialogue) Revelation of the character The stories have movement - a combination of past, present, future Feminism
Feminism is a revolutionary ideology. It is a “doctrine or movement that advocates equal rights for women” (Collins Dictionary). Whereas, literature mirrors life as it is. In other words, literature is a versatile medium for the promotion of women’s rights in the 21st century. Canadian Gothic
Evolved from romanticism (Nature, rebellion, heroism, emotion, ruins and relics of the past etc.) Gothic writing relates to the darker side of the human experience which encompasses ideas as insanity, fear, cruelty and the unknown. Canadian gothic “fear of the unknown” and survival Relating to ones ability to “survive” Staying alive is one of the more common elements for Canadian gothic, with characters working through struggles or events that may challenge one’s ability to “survive”. Cruelty - psychological impact “if you looked into her soul, it would be black and blue with bruises” Uses physical environment as a mean to communicate her story
Runaway
returning because it is better that the fear of unknown Munro’s Short Stories
Each one stands on its own survival, combined with concealed ambitions and passions of protagonists, that threaten these female characters in a physical and metaphorical sense How are wives portrayed throughout all history Archetypes
Romance - the lover and the villain No wrong answer, when you can substantiate what you mean for the text
Its narrated - omniscient Conflict is often revealed through irony and nuances in the language Familiar patterns include:
Undercurrents of alienation and dissatisfaction Need to survive, find identity Choices - often to runaway The power to hurt and be hurt Values and Ideas present in the text
A range of explicit and implied values and ideas are explored in Munro’s text through:
Actions, behavior and values that are endorsed, questioned or challenged The point of view we are invited to share or sympathize with as a reader Gaps and silences in the text Further themes include:
Effect on society’s values on the individual Family life and the make up of it Alienation and entrapment Reflection, time and memory Illness, carers and caring
