Discuss One of the Literary Works on the Course Reading List. Looking at the Settings, the Characters, and/or the Themes of the Book, What Does It Tell You About Canada and Canadian Culture? " Maria Chapdelaine", by Louis Hémon,

In this course activity, you will participate in a peer discussion about how literary or other artistic pursuits and governmental, religious, political, or social structures affect one another. Afterward, you will summarize the discussion and how it helped shape your thinking about your original ideas.

teenage problems, and a family who loves and supports her through her everyday life. Her life as she

when she starts to know the person. This is shown in the case of Mr

Most of the ethnic groups that have different value and belief systems in Canada are immigrants, and the process in which they become detach from their homeland and integrate into the Canadian society makes them feel different sense of their identity. In other words, the heterogeneous essence of the new society, and the inherent characteristic of the identity which is not constant and immutable, rather it is subject to dramatic variation across time and place make the ethnic identification even more important. This ethnic identification generates a sense of belonging in a diverse society. Moreover, the issues of power and identity in Canadian context show that how ethnic groups fit within the social stratification system. It seems that different

In the past, Canadian identity was dominated by the clash between English Canadians and French Canadians, and the close ties between the English-Canadians and the British Empire. However, with the gradual weakening of our ties with Great Britain, immigrants from Europe, Asia, and Africa have reshaped the Canadian identity. Immigrants built Canada into what it is today. From the Chinese on the Canadian Pacific Railway to the Irish on much of the work on Victoria bridge, and the Italians on the Bloor Street Bridge. However, immigrants face many problems when adapting into Canada. These problems can include cultural differences, difference in political values and beliefs, and discrimination. But what item can help immigrants adapt into

When their family name is called she gets uneasy and fearful because she

when she starts to know the person. This is shown in the case of Mr

For the last century Canada has evolved into a sovereign nation, through politics, democracy, government, peacekeeping, bilingual and multinationalism. Canada’s unique history and geography has contributed to Canada’s national identity, however many people still question, what does it means to be Canadian? Thus a national identity crisis occurs, and although ethnicity and diversity is apart of Canadian identity, it also challenges it by having many differences with one another. Many believe that Canada lacks a strong national identity because it is too diverse to form a cohesive community; a sense of connection to other people who share similar interests, a common history, culture and language. The past can help with this crisis by looking

First, I will interview Chinese immigrants, which promotes my identity formation because we share two similarities. The first similarity is that we all came from China, and the second one is that we all need to face the challenges to adjust our habits and lifestyles to Canada. As a Chinese student that has been living in Montreal for only 2 months, I do not know how to accustom myself to Canadian society. Since they have already figured out what to do in this situation, I consider them as my role models. I can develop life skills and develop my self-identity by copying their behaviors. I struggled frequently with social activities here because I can not find my feet in Canadian communities. One of the explorations under the global context of "Identities and Relationships" which relates to my project is "human relationships, including families, friends, communities and culture." By interviewing Chinese immigrants, I can learn what their relationships to Canadian society

This shows how Mariam did not let oppression turn her mind against those who were close to her. In those tough times however, she still looked at the bigger picture. She turned herself in, took the blames, and paid for the crimes.

By placing Joan Didion’s novel, Play It As It Lays, in the context of bad and evil, it is evident that some characters still have virtue. The depiction of the struggle of Maria’s life might in one part depict the borrowed virtue from his gambler father and his lazy mother. On the other hand, her own virtue still develops in the end and which is far much different from that of her parents. In her marriage life, she tends not to concentrate on building her life just like her parents. This makes her to engage in many irresponsible relationships where she meets her psychological blackmailer boyfriend who wastes her life. Conversely, Maria is keen to love and cherish her daughter Kate who is ailing. The ailment is seen to bring her closer to her

We first learn of The Marquesa De Montemayor and Pepita. The Marquesa, Dona Maria, started off being neglected by her parents very early in her life. We learn from the narrator that “her childhood was unhappy: she was ugly; she stuttered; her mother persecuted her with sarcasm in an effort to arouse some social charms” (Wilder, 1927, p. 6). This caused her to grow up as an adult craving affection. When Dona Maria turned twenty-six she was married off to a nobleman who, once again, did not give her the attention that she so desperately needed. Maria finally thought her prayers had been answered when she had a daughter, Clara, whom she showered with love and attention. Unfortunately, Clara turned out like everyone else in Maria’s life and wanted nothing more than to get away from her mother. Pepita, sent from an orphanage to look after Maria, truly cared for The Marquesa. Pepita watched after, prepared meals, and spent a lot of time with Maria. However, Maria never realized that she was truly loved because of how poorly she was treated in the past by her

Change is a critical part of life. It is evident all around us, especially in the things we learn. The knowledge available to us in the modern day is dynamic; it is constantly changing, developing, and providing new points of view. Science and mathematics curriculums in Ontario high school reflect the evolution of knowledge; they are edited and adjusted regularly to accommodate new material that should be presented to students. Shouldn’t other subject curriculums, specifically English, be just as dynamic? It often feels like English curriculums in Ontario high schools are static; the same books are studied by class after class, generation after generation. The time has come for change. Ontario students should be exposed to new literature, particularly Canadian literature. Students need this exposure to Canadian literature to become more familiar with the literature of their country; through literature, we are able to focus on our Canadian culture while being surrounded by other cultures, we promote new, younger authors, and we become aware of the mosaic that is Canadian culture.

her, and she must be separated from the rest of the tribe so as to not have the

An article written by Kara Somerville in 2008 provides an interesting insight on the issue of transnational identity, and how different factors tend to affect it. Especially the paragraph about the Indo-Canadian immigrants' emotional connections to their both home's offers a good viewpoint on Anil's own process of forming her identity. (p.27) The people interviewed all bring up how