Margaret Laurence is one of the most recognized and prolific writers in Canadian literary history. Her achievements include her well-known novels The Stone Angel (1964) and A Jest of God (1966). She has won many awards such as multiple Governor General's Awards, the Companion of the Order of Canada, and was named a National Historic Person in 2016. Keep reading to learn about Margaret Laurence's biography, works and more.
Margaret Laurence lived in Winnipeg. Pixabay.
A Biography of Margaret Laurence
On the 18th of July 1926, Margaret Laurence was born in Manitoba, Canada. Her mother died when she was 4 years old, and her father died when she was 9 years old. Laurence lived with her grandfather until 1944, and during this time she wrote her first novel The Land of Our Father (1939). She was only thirteen years old. In 1944, Laurence attended United College, University of Manitoba. Laurence studied English and was already publishing her poetry in the University's publication, The Manitoban. When Laurence first started publishing poetry in The Manitoban, she used the pseudonym Steve Lancaster, based on the WWII Lancaster Bomber!
While in school, Laurence also discovered the Social Gospel, a Christian Socialist movement, which she remained an active member of her whole life. She also worked as an associate editor for United College's literary journal, Vox. By the time Laurence graduated, she had published 18 poems and 3 short stories.
When Laurence left university, she began working for The Westerner followed by a career at The Winnipeg Citizen, an independent newspaper. While working for the newspaper, she focused mainly on book reviews, social issues, and political issues.
Laurence worked for the Winnipeg Citizen, an independent newspaper. Pixabay.
In 1949, Laurence and her husband Jack Fergus Laurence moved to England. In 1950, they moved to British Somaliland and then to the Gold Coast, a British colony, in 1952. Laurence admired Africa and was inspired by the oral traditions of Somalia. She began to write a book of translations of poetry and folk tales titled, A Tree for Poverty: Somali Poetry and Prose (1954). Her writing also shows her awareness of the ethical concerns behind a white person residing in a colonial state.
In 1957, Laurence, her husband, and their two young kids moved to Vancouver. Here she began writing her most well-known novel, The Stone Angel. She remained in Canada until she divorced her husband and moved to London, England in 1962.
While in England, Laurence wrote A Jest of God, which would later inspire the film Rachel, Rachel (1968). In 1969, Laurence became the University of Toronto's writer-in-residence and moved to Lakefield, Ontario. Between 1971 and 1973, Laurence spent her summers writing The Diviners (1974) on the Otonabee River. Between 1981 and 1983, Laurence was Chancellor of Trent University.
In 1987, Laurence committed suicide by drug overdose. She had been diagnosed with lung cancer a year prior and her cancer's stage of development was highly advanced and was spreading to her other organs.
Literary Works by Margaret Laurence
Margaret Laurence was a prolific and accomplished writer. Most of her novels and short stories are set in a fictional Canadian town named Manawaka. She wrote novels, short story collections, children's books, and non-fiction books. Below is an exploration of some literary works by Margaret Laurence.
The Stone Angel (1964)
The Stone Angel follows the story of 90-year-old Hagar. Pixabay.
In 1964, Laurence published The Stone Angel. It follows the story of Hagar Currie Shipley and is narrated on parallel storylines: past and present. The present focuses on a 90-year-old Hagar reflecting on her life, death, and loss. The novel follows themes of pride, control, aging, and resentment. It also heavily focuses on the struggles of womanhood and the impact aging has on women. The Stone Angel was recognized as one of the best novels written in Canadian literary history and was even part of Canadian school curricula.
How it irks me to have to take her hand, allow her to pull my dress over my head, undo my corsets and strip them off me, and have her see my blue veined swollen flesh and the hairy triangle that still proclaims with lunatic insistence a non-existent womanhood." (Chapter 2)
Hagar, at the age of 90, needs help dressing and undressing from her daughter-in-law Doris. Hagar is annoyed and embarrassed by her naked body, which she feels is not what it used to be. She is ashamed and is unable to recognize her aging body. Here, Hagar is struggling with her pride.
A Jest of God (1966)
A Jest of God was written in 1966 and follows the story of Rachel Cameron, a school teacher, and her affair that lasts only a summer, but impacts her whole life. The novel follows themes of womanhood, aging, and motherhood and the consequences actions have on a person's entire life. There is a sense of entrapment the protagonist feels in her life and the environment she lives in and Rachel must come to understand herself throughout the novel.
I always brush my hair a hundred strokes. I can't succeed in avoiding my eyes in the mirror. The narrow angular face stares at me, the grey eyes too wide for it. I don't look old. . . Or do I see my face falsely?" (Chapter 1)
Although only 34 years of age, Rachel is already beginning to feel insecure about her age. Here she is analyzing her face and is worried her beauty will not last much longer. It becomes an obsession and a large source of tension for Rachel throughout the novel. A Jest of God won the Governor General's Award in 1966.
A Bird in the House (1970)
A Bird in the House is a collection of short stories that follows Vanessa Macleod, a writer. It follows her as she is growing up and reflects on her childhood. Past and present become blurred, and it is never understood if it is the older Vanessa or the younger Vanessa who is able to understand the situations she finds herself in. The short story collection is said to be semi-autobiographical and explores identity both on a personal level and a national level. It contains themes such as religion, tragedy, and faith.
On these occasions, my mother always said, 'Do you think we are teaching the child deception?' And Aunt Edna always replied, 'No, just self-preservation.'" (The Sound of the Singing)
Religion is an important theme within the short stories of A Bird in the House. In this quote, the mother and aunt of the protagonist Vanessa are discussing whether their actions are the sin of deception or if it is simply a matter of survival. Religious ambiguity can commonly be found in the text.
Other Literary Works
Margaret Laurence is also known for many children's books such as Jason's Quest (1970), Six Darn Cows (1979), and The Olden Days Coat (1979).
The Olden Days Coat was adapted into a Canadian television film broadcasted in 1981. Laurence's book never won any awards, but the TV version won the Bijou Award for Best Television Drama Under 30 Minutes.
Laurence also wrote many non-fiction works including The Prophet's Camel Bell (1963) which is an autobiography of Laurence's time in British Somaliland and her 1989 memoir, Dance on the Earth: A Memoir (1989). She also wrote a book of essays called Heart of a Stranger (1976).
The Writing Style of Margaret Laurence
Margaret Laurence focused on Realism. Pixabay.
There are many key characteristics that can be found throughout Laurence's work that make it stand out. An important factor is Laurence's focus on Realism.
Realism is a literary movement that originated in the 19th century that focuses on the everyday life, situations, and events of the everyday person. The situations and events are plausible in real life.
An aspect of Laurence's realism is her use of ordinary speech. Rather than write in a formal, academic manner, Laurence focuses on how people speak in everyday life. This allows for the text to seem more personable, relatable, and enjoyable to a wider audience.
'You never gave a damn for living horses, Hagar,' he said once. 'But when you seen them put onto paper where they couldn't drop manure, then it's dandy, eh? Well, keep your bloody paper horses. I'd as soon have nothing on my walls.'" (Chapter 3, Stone Angel)
Notice how Laurence is using the everyday, ordinary speech of a Candian living in the 1960s. It is a normal conversation between two characters.
The final aspect of Laurence's writing that makes her work so important to Candian literature is her use of a fictional Canadian town, Manawaka, as the setting for many of her novels and short stories. By placing the story firmly in a Canadian town, she is marking her novels as Canadian in nature. This allows them to fit into the Candian literary tradition.
Impact of Margaret Laurence
Laurence was impactful to the Canadian Literary Rennaissance. Pixabay.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Canada went through what is called a "literary renaissance".
The Canadian Literary Renaissance of the 1960s and 1970s was a time of great Canadian nationalism in which Canadian authors turned away from American and English writing traditions, and began to create and celebrate Canadian writing traditions.
Literature from this time was socially conscious and focused on global events, such as civil rights and women's rights. There was also an emphasis on marginalized communities.
Margaret Laurence was incredibly impactful to the Canadian Literary Renaissance mainly in her writings, which were set in a Canadian setting. She also established the Writers' Trust of Canada and the Writers' Union of Canada, which provide financial and legal support to Canadian authors. She helped many Canadian authors publish their work throughout her lifetime.
Her work supporting other Canadian authors and her critically acclaimed literary works earned her the Companion of the Order of Canada in 1972, the second-highest honor someone can achieve in Canada.
Quotes by Margaret Laurence
Margaret Laurence is considered one of the most important writers in Candian literary history. Here are some notable quotes by Margaret Laurence.
I think, about oneself through writing about characters who may not be oneself, but whom one is trying to understand."1
During an interview, when Laurence was asked about her characters, she mentioned that characters may not be a direct reflection of who she is. Characters, however, are individuals the author must come to learn about and understand. This allows for rich character development, which Laurence was known to do.
Doctor Corby is middle-aged, and the suggestion of gray in his hair is so delicately distinguished it looks as though he's had a hairdresser do it for him on purpose. He has a sharp and worldly look behind his glasses, which have mannish frames of navy blue." (Chapter 3, The Stone Angel)
Here, in Laurence's The Stone Angel, the reader can see how Laurence describes characters through the eyes of the protagonist. She focuses on descriptive language, such as "middle-aged", and goes into great detail about the effortlessly yet strategically placed streak of grey in the doctor's hair. In this way, the readers learn the character appears suave and mannerly without ever being told.
They should be hidden away in an attic along with the other relics too common to be called antiques and too broken to be of any further use. Yet I was inexplicably drawn to them, too." (Chapter 1, A Bird in the House)
This excerpt from Laurence's A Bird in the House exemplifies the theme of age. Society tends to hide things that are old or out of use, but Vanessa sees their value. This is a metaphor for aging. Many see aging as a loss of life and of purpose, but aging just adds value to a person's life.
Margaret Laurence - Key takeaways
- Margaret Laurence was born in Manitoba, Canada in 1926 and is one of the most recognized and prolific writers in Canadian Literary History.
- She is the author of many novels, short stories, children's books, and non-fiction works.
- She is most well known for her novels, The Stone Angel and A Jest of God.
- Laurence contributed greatly to the Canadian Literary Rennaissance and helped establish the Writers' Trust of Canada and the Writers' Union of Canada.
- Key characteristics of Laurence's writing style include a focus on Realism, ordinary speech, and Canadian settings.
References
- Interview: Margaret Laurence. TVO today, transcript. March 31, 1977
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