Divining The National Identity Of Canada

This thesis analyzes the construction of Canadian national identity by the writer Margaret Laurence in her novel The Diviners. The studies of this book in our country are mainly centering around four aspects: the theme of women, the theme of surviving and the searching for self-identity, the theme of national identity and the contribution of Laurence in Canadian literature. This thesis analyzes the connection of her concerns for women and anti-colonialism in the effort of searching for the national identity of Canada. The domination and subordination in patriarchy is similar to those in imperialism. In the first Chapter, the thesis analyzes the searching of self-identity of the protagonist Morag in terms of her femininity. Her awareness of femininity and challenges against the patriarchal construction lead to her searching for the self-identity, which is reflected in her leaving of the patriarchal Brooke, returning to Jules and living as a writer and single mother on her own. The second chapter analyzes the construction of national identity of Laurence, which is carried out mainly through the marital relationships between Morag Gunn, Brooke Skeleton and Jules Tonnerre in the novel. It analyzes the attitudes of Laurence toward different cultures. First, she criticizes imperialism and colonialism represented by England and expresses the necessity of being independent of British culture. Through the depictions of the Métis, she expresses her sympathy for the natives and advocacy for cross-cultural understanding. She expresses her advocacy for multiculturalism. The third chapter analyzes the role Margaret Laurence as a writer plays in the constructing of national identity of Canada with the theory of texts and histories of the new historicism. Through this novel, she echoes with multiculturalism policy of the government as well as questions the accuracy of the history book. Through the writing of Morag as well as through her own, Laurence stresses the carrying of the past into the present through literature. Through this novel, she makes her contribution as a writer in the promotion of multiculturalism and puts forward her understanding and perceptions for multiethnic issues. Through her advocacy for multiculturalism, she echoes with the multiculturalism policy of the government. She emphasizes the respect for and inheritance of every ethnic cultures and the importance of cross-cultural communication and understanding.