<i>Douglas Gibson Unedited: On Editing Robertson Davies, Alice Munro, W.O. Mitchell, Mavis Gallant, Jack Hodgins, Alistair MacLeod, etc.</i> (review)

Mary Schendlinger

doi:10.1353/utq.2010.0133

Unravelling the mystery of reality : typical Canadian elements in the short stories of Alice Munro

Acta Neophilologica ◽

10.4312/an.31.1.105-114 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 31 ◽

pp. 105-114

Author(s):

Aleksander Kustec

Keyword(s):

Short Story ◽

Anne Hebert ◽

Alice Munro ◽

Margaret Laurence ◽

Literary Genres ◽

Social Events ◽

The Sixties ◽

Mavis Gallant ◽

Canadian Provinces ◽

Diversity Of Life

The contemporary Canadian short story has a specific place among literary genres in Canadian literature. It culminated in the sixties of this century, when the Canadians looked to their literature with greater interest. Canadian short story writers started to write in a different tone, and showed special interest for new themes. After 1960 authors, such as Henry Kreisel, Norman Levine, Anne Hebert, Mavis Gallant, Ethel Wilson, Joyce Marshall, Hugh Hood, Hugh Garner, Margaret Laurence, Audrey Callahan Thomas, Mordecai Richler, and Alice Munro, refused to use the traditional plot, and showed more interest for characterisation. By using a typical Canadian setting, their stories began to reflect social events of their time. A new awareness of identity stepped forward, and above all their stories became a reflection of the diversity of life in all Canadian provinces. The contemporary Canadian short story writers began to overstep the boundaries of their imagination.

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Unravelling the mystery of reality : typical Canadian elements in the short stories of Alice Munro

Acta Neophilologica ◽

10.4312/an.31.0.105-114 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 31 ◽

pp. 105-114

Author(s):

Aleksander Kustec

Keyword(s):

Short Story ◽

Anne Hebert ◽

Alice Munro ◽

Margaret Laurence ◽

Literary Genres ◽

Social Events ◽

The Sixties ◽

Mavis Gallant ◽

Canadian Provinces ◽

Diversity Of Life

The contemporary Canadian short story has a specific place among literary genres in Canadian literature. It culminated in the sixties of this century, when the Canadians looked to their literature with greater interest. Canadian short story writers started to write in a different tone, and showed special interest for new themes. After 1960 authors, such as Henry Kreisel, Norman Levine, Anne Hebert, Mavis Gallant, Ethel Wilson, Joyce Marshall, Hugh Hood, Hugh Garner, Margaret Laurence, Audrey Callahan Thomas, Mordecai Richler, and Alice Munro, refused to use the traditional plot, and showed more interest for characterisation. By using a typical Canadian setting, their stories began to reflect social events of their time. A new awareness of identity stepped forward, and above all their stories became a reflection of the diversity of life in all Canadian provinces. The contemporary Canadian short story writers began to overstep the boundaries of their imagination.

Download Full-text