Stereotyping In Canadian Literature

769 Words2 Pages

Canada. The typical stereotype: kind, considerate, always saying sorry. Everyone of every size, shape, and color seem to inhabit one part or another in Canada. The question really is how they got there. Granted, the stereotype didn't always apply to Canada. At points, Canada wasn't all smiles and rainbows. Rather, violent periods of cultural crashing occurred in the country that were hidden in plain sight via specific literary devices such as imagery, conflict, and irony. These same devices were used to convey more mild blending of cultures as well. This blending of cultures eventually became a prominent theme in Canadian writing. Using imagery to convey the theme of cultural blending allows the reader to be more immersed into a piece of …show more content…

An example of this is creating a character to resist a culture. It appears contradictory unless the theme of blending is shown. “Listen to him...I can't learn English.”(Blaise 283) The character in this story can already speak multiple languages but is having trouble learning another language spoken in Canada. Another example is the use of crashing instead of blending. When Canada is considered a blending of cultures and their works appear to have crashing between cultures, it warrants some attention. “bus ride...sudden arrival.”(Ondaatje 299) This sudden arrival is the forcing together of cultures. The final example of irony is using comparisons between what a reader believes and the reality of the situation in a poem or story to convey the theme of blending. The reader believes the stereotype of kind Canada having a blend of culture with no violence, but that is not true. “Your voice...through a glass tube.”(Ondaatje 304) This voice is a culture's language and is not accepted by another culture in Canada, hence the scorpion being pushed through a glass tube. Of course, it is odd to use conflict and irony to explain a theme of blending(and throw some imagery in as well) but all three literary devices have a significant role to play in theme

Show More
Related

  • Simic's Canada

    707 Words  | 2 Pages

    Canada. What does the word invoke in a reader’s mind? The land of multiculturalism perhaps, where people of every different colour, creed, religion and ethnicity can exist in harmony. Or, is it the land of opportunities, where immigrants arrive in the country and find out they will face more obstacles in their quest for a better life. The Canada in Raheel Raza’s A Global Village in Canada is very different to Goran Simic’s Canada in Goodbye Muse, Hello Prada, Raza’s piece will leave readers feeling positive and optimistic about Canada, where everyone can exist peacefully, barring a few who are eager to highlight the differences. The tone of Simic’s piece is far more low-key than Raza’s, not quite as bright and high-strung. Out of the two, Simic’s Canada will resonate with readers more because he used his personal experiences, employed clever language and literary devices to make his writing more memorable, and he described the struggles every immigrant will face as they try to establish themselves in a new country.

    Read More

  • Situational Irony in O’Henry’s The Ransom of Red Chief and The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant

    609 Words  | 2 Pages

    Situational irony is used in both O’Henry’s “The Ransom of Red Chief” and “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant but the effect of the techniques on the tone of each story is very different. In O’Henry’s story, the protagonist, Red Chief, is being kidnapped by two criminals, Bill and Sam. There are many ironic events that occur in the story. For example, the reader expects Red Chief to want to go back home to his family but instead, he is having the time of his life. As hard as Bill tries, he cannot even send him home. Bill utters to Sam, “‘I showed him the road to Summit and kicked him about eight feet nearer there at one kick’” (6). This is comical because it is using a literary technique known as slapstick comedy. The reader can imagine Bill swinging his leg and kicking Red Chief all the way back to Summit. Another example of situational irony in the story is that the reader would expect that Red Chief to be scared but what is actually happening is that Bill is terrified. While speaking with Sam, Bill complains about Red chief yet again, “‘I’ve stood by you without batting an eye ...

    Read More

  • Stereotypes and Stereotyping in A Tale of Two Cities

    609 Words  | 2 Pages

    Charles Dickens stereotypes many of his Characters in A Tale of Two Cities. Among these stereotyped characters are The Marquis D' Evremond,

    Read More

  • Perpetuation of Native American Stereotypes in Children's Literature

    2192 Words  | 5 Pages

    Perpetuation of Native American Stereotypes in Children's Literature Caution should be used when selecting books including Native Americans, due to the lasting images that books and pictures provide to children. This paper will examine the portrayal of Native Americans in children's literature. I will discuss specific stereotypes that are present and should be avoided, as well as positive examples. I will also highlight evaluative criteria that will be useful in selecting appropriate materials for children and provide examples of good and bad books. Children will read many books as they grow up.

    Read More

  • Irony in Guests of the Nation

    799 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the short story, "Guests of the Nation," Frank O'Connor uses irony to illustrate the conflict which men face when their roles as combatants force them to disregard the humanity of their enemies. In both life and literature, irony exists when there is a contrast between expectation and reality. Verbal irony is defined as "a figure of speech in which the actual intent is expressed in words which carry the opposite meaning" (Thrall 248). In dramatic irony there is a contrast between a character's perception of a situation and the actual facts. Often "some of the actors on the stage or some of the characters in a story are 'blind' to facts known to the spectator or reader" (155) . The short story "Guests of the Nation" by Frank O'Connor illustrates both types of irony.

    Read More

  • Imagery in "Everyday Use"

    780 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout the story, Walker uses brilliant imagery in describing each detail of what the mother sees through the eyes of her world. This imagery in turn creates a more interesting and imaginative story, and allows the reader to experience what the narrator is experiencing. The theme of imagery is not within the story, but how the story is told. However, the theme of love of one's family heritage is within the heart and not on the wall.

    Read More

  • The American Influence in Canadian Popular Culture

    1937 Words  | 4 Pages

    Many people might have a diverse opinion on the extend of the American cultural influence on Canada, but the truth is, these two countries share a long common border, they use frequently the same language, they watch the same movies, listen to the same music and collaborate on other numerous levels, including economic and political activity. In this paper, I would like to show the extent of the influence on Canadian popular culture that comes from the United States. For my analysis I have chosen four segments of popular culture: television, printed media, music and films. In these are the main sectors where we can see the biggest evidence of this phenomenon. In the first part I would like to shortly introduce the history of this issue. The second part is the analysis of the four sectors.

    Read More

  • Stereotyping In Society

    1800 Words  | 4 Pages

    Have you ever sat down and questioned whether if stereotyping is really an issue? Many of us don’t really even know what stereotyping really is or what it does to our society. According to the Dictionary stereotyping is a form of pre-judgment. Which is as prevalent in today’s society as it was thousands of years ago. Throughout generations its purpose has stayed the same. Stereotypes are a huge issue in today’s society, as it will be for future ones. It labels a person on how they should act or live according to their sex, race, personality, and other fact .Not only do they affect society but also the person who is being stereotyped against. It does this by depriving one’s true ability for change and freedom of expression. They have created a distortion of how everything and every individual should be. Stereotyping is bad for society because it leads to discrimination, which harms individuals, and makes a negative future for future generations.

    Read More

  • Evaluating Symbolism and Irony in "The Cask of Amontillado"

    1224 Words  | 3 Pages

    In many occasions, symbolism and irony are the best way to explain an object. While using symbolism you can make the reader understand a different point of view they would had never expected. It helps catches the reader attention in a way that it opens more doors to a short story, novel, etc… For example Montresor represents pride. He is living by his family motto “Nemo me impune lacessit.” (No one provokes me with impunity.) Symbols are also used in backgrounds of movies giving symbolic messages to the viewers. The only way the viewer can pick up on them is by searching them up or by already knowing what that symbol represented. Irony is used a little less more profoundly in the story, yet it plays a big role in leading the reader into the right path with its situations. Irony is when a statement contradicts itself or another object. For example Fortunato means fortunate but ends up not being fortunate while meeting his own death. They’re many examples of symbolism and irony in “The Cask of Amontillado.”

    Read More

  • Sexism In Canadian Society

    1062 Words  | 3 Pages

    As a country we have come a long way in issues regarding sexism but we still have a long way to go. In many situations, society has been one of the reasons for justice regarding equality. An example of this would be in 2003, when Prime Minister Jean Chrétien announced legislation to make same-sex marriages legal and said "There is an evolution in society" (CBC News Canada, 2015). However, we have also been faced with times where society brought us disadvantages. In the Canadian society, we still encounter many forms of sexism. The representation of women in advertisement is a major issue that is present in our society.

    Read More

  • Homelessness in Canada: A Struggle for Basic Rights

    2209 Words  | 5 Pages

    The homeless are one of the most vulnerable groups in Canadian society. Things that most Canadians take for granted, such as having safe place to sleep, protection from the elements and the ability to easily take care of rudimentary hygiene needs, are day to day struggles for individuals who do not have access to housing. For a nation that prides itself on the protection of human rights, who with the U.N. adopted a historic document in 1948, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees everyone the right to “a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services,” Canada may fall short of the protection it aims to offer one of its most marginalized groups. Stigma from privileged members of the community can create impossible situations for homeless individuals who have no recourse

    Read More

  • Irony in "Brave New World"

    1038 Words  | 3 Pages

    By now, you should have learned about irony, one of the most important literary devices used. There are many definitions of irony, but a simple definition is the contrast between what was supposed to happen and what actually happens. Irony is separated into three types: situational irony (you crave oranges, turns out you are allergic to them), verbal irony (“Oh, you are so funny!” when someone is not funny [sarcasm]), and dramatic irony (while reading, you know there is a monster in the closet, but the character does not). Many examples of irony are given in the novel Brave New World, a novel set in the future where humans are biologically engineered and conditioned for their role in society. The novel exemplifies irony because even though they have norms and regulations set, most people tend to not follow them, including the world leaders.

    Read More

  • Irony in Kate Chopin's Story of an Hour

    794 Words  | 2 Pages

    Irony is a useful device for giving stories many unexpected twists and turns. In Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour," irony is used as an effective literary device. Situational irony is used to show the reader that what is expected to happen sometimes doesn't. Dramatic irony is used to clue the reader in on something that is happening that the characters in the story do not know about. Irony is used throughout Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" through the use of situational irony and the use of dramatic irony.

    Read More

  • The Cask Of Amontillado Analysis

    517 Words  | 2 Pages

    Countless literary devices are used to make publishable literature. One most used devices is irony. Irony is defined as a situation or statement characterized by a significant difference between what is expected or what is understood and what actually happens or is meant. Two famous pieces of literature that use this device are The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe and The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams

    Read More

  • Interpreting Symbolic and Ironic References in The Story of an Hour

    1364 Words  | 3 Pages

    Various authors use rhetorical devices to emphasize the plot or theme in their writings. Many use symbols to convey ideas or meanings. Others use irony to make the reader analyze or paint a vivid picture of the unexpected. We see symbols in our everyday lives. For example, in religion, the cross symbolizes hope and faith to the Christians. In astrology, there are numerous of symbols, called zodiacs that identify one’s destiny and are used to determine one’s horoscope. Furthermore, in ancient times, Egyptians used symbols to communicate with one other or for religious rituals; the scriptures were called hieroglyphics. On the other hand, irony can best be described when the unexpected happens. For instance, it’s strange when a police man gets arrested or when a firehouse catches on fire.

    Read More

More about Stereotyping In Canadian Literature

Open Document