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Constructions of National Identities

Constructions of National Identities. E. Birney, M. Atwood, Ray Smith The Decline of the American Empire. “Cape Breton”. How is Nation Identity Constructed?. History & Culture (e.g. “ Who Are We? ” )

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Constructions of National Identities

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  1. Constructions of National Identities E. Birney, M. Atwood, Ray Smith The Decline of the American Empire

  2. “Cape Breton” How is Nation Identity Constructed? • History & Culture (e.g. “Who Are We?”) • National Character (defined as different from the Other[s]) e.g. Atwood’s poems, “CanLit” • Land, Landscape and Boundaries • National Allegories & Fantasies • Collage of Individuals’ stories

  3. US/Canada Boundaries • Without national defense; • Invisible esp. during the times of • Independence War –the Royalists moved to Ontario and Atlantic Provinces, • Vietnam war, • After the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement—abolishing customs tax) • Great for shoppers & businessmen • 80% of Canada’s Trade made with the Americans.

  4. Outline • E. Birney, • M. Atwood, • Ray Smith • Denys Arcand The Decline of the American Empire • For next week . . .

  5. Earl Birney’s “Can. Lit.” • Contraries: • Eagles vs. wrens and hens • “alone” (individualism) vs. Loneliness; • bones vs. Railways • Civil war vs. civil bore • Whitman vs. wounded, lack of ghost

  6. Margaret Atwood • Concerned with Canada’s cultural identity; Feminist concerns • Survival (1972) • Duality “Tricks with Mirror”; Two-Headed Poems (1978) • Victim mentality • Developed from simple and bare style and a concern with alienated identity to a wider range of styles and concerns. • e.g. Edible Woman

  7. Postmodern, self-reflexive mode e.g. Historical female figures: Moodie, “Marrying the Hangman”.. mixing poetry and fiction, mixing a lot of genres (Gothic, detective story, fairy tales, family romance, comedy, allegory, etc.) Margaret Atwood (2)

  8. Female Identities in Atwood’s Poems • Duality: inner and interpersonal  both female and Canadian • Cannot be encased by photograph or mirror; • Despite the limited conditions (of being a mirror or dead), retain their independence and vivid consciousness; • Express their Body-consciousness and their Will expressed through their bodies

  9. Photograph & Mirror • “This is a photograph of Me”–gradual revelation of a female self which is ultimately in enclosed but unknown. • “Tricks with Mirrors”— • mirror as a perfect lover; • mirror’s self-value; • mirror’s efforts (restraints) • mirror changed to a door • a pool

  10. Susanna Moodie • 1832 from England to Upper Canada • Her work: Ploughing it in the Bush, Life in the Clearings. • Atwood’s “Thoughts from the Underground”: • retains a conscious identity after death; • two parts of the poem: continuous and fragmented

  11. “Marrying the Hangman” • History–no fantasy but open to speculation the present, possibilities of rape • Does not present her as a heroin; describes how she manages to use her body to survive. • Pay attention to the body images.

  12. Cape Breton In Nova Scotia, one of Maritime Provinces (or Atlantic Canada)  Poorer areas http://atlas.gc.ca/site/english/maps/reference/provincesterritories/maritimes

  13. Cape Breton • coal mining, lumbering, fishing, and summer tourism e.g. the film “Margaret Museum” • Since 1955 the island has been linked to the mainland by a causeway across the Strait of Canso, making it the eastern land terminus of both the Trans-Canada Highway and the Canadian National Railway. "Cape Breton Island."Encyclopædia Britannica 2003 Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service. 10 Mar, 2003 <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=20415>.

  14. CapeBreton Strathlorne, Inverness County, Cape Breton  Broad Cove Marsh, Inverness County, NS                                           Summer, 1997 • Strathlorne, Inverness County, Cape Breton  • Autumn, 1996 http://www.fortunecity.com/bally/waterford/21/cbpics.htm

  15. Cape Breton is the Thought Control Centre of Canada • Published in 1969 • Ray Smith, born 1941, is from Mabou, Nova Scotia, Canada. Mabou is a beautiful village on the west coast of the island of Cape Breton • 1963-- moved to Toronto, • 1968 -- to Montreal http://www.pluto.no/doogie/volapuk/Festival/hostfestival2000/smith.htm

  16. “Cape Breton”—Centennial project • 1867--Canada become a confederation of former colonies (The British North America Act) • 1967 – Expo (World Exposition) in Montreal

  17. “Cape Breton”: Historical Circumstances 1960‘s -- Quiet Revolution 1967 -- 法國總統戴高樂在蒙特婁演說，高呼「魁北克自由萬歲」，成為魁省獨派人士的精神口號。 1968 -- 魁北克黨成立，以爭取魁北克脫離加拿大而獨立為職志。 1969--Official Languages Act    1970：爆發「十月危機」(October Crisis)，「魁北克解放陣線」策動一連串恐怖事件。

  18. Cape Breton is the Thought Control Centre of Canada • Composed of the following sections: • Dialogue/Relationship between a couple; pp. 357, 360; 361; 365; 369  allegory of a man in front of a mirror 369 • Other individuals’ stories: Judy 358; Bill and George 360; • Existence in nature; • Canadian Arts (including the writer’s) 359 • Talk to “you” about Canada/US relations pp. 357, 359; 362; 365; 368;  Fantasies: p. 357 (The Resistance); 359; 360; 361; 365 • Analogy made to Poland 358; 362;

  19. Cape Breton is the Thought Control Centre of Canada • Questions: • What do you think about the presentations of the couple and the views of the Americans? • How about the individuals presented in the story?

  20. Allusions in the story • NDP – New Democratic Party (of Canada) • Peace Bridge -- at the mouth of the Niagara River, at Fort Erie Canada and is pointed East to Buffalo

  21. Arcand and Quebec separatism 1960 – Quiet Revolution 1970 – October Crisis (Artists such as D. Arcand started to convey their political messages through arts.) 1974：魁北克通過法文為官方語言。 1977︰178 Act強制境內商業招牌一律使用法文。 1980：勒維克提出「主權聯繫」計畫，主張魁北克為獨立國家，但仍與加拿大維持密切關係，魁北克針對此計畫舉行公投(referendum)，反對者以59%得票率獲勝。 • Referendum: 1993; 1995

  22. Arcand and Quebec separatism Arcand • early works in the 1970’s (e.g. Gina): socialist and separatist; • 80’s – critique the loss of idealism and degradation of human civilization; • The Comfort and the Indifference (documentary) • Decline (1986); Jesus of Montreal (1989), • 90’s – Love and Human Remains (1993 English); • 2000 – Stardom (English)

  23. The Decline of the American Empire • The characters: • Lonely people: Claude, Diane, Dominique; • Couple: Remy and Louise, Pierre and Danielle • Outsider: Mario, Danielle, Alain

  24. The Decline of the American Empire: structure • Balanced by the meeting of the 8 people; • Before: the four men in the kitchen, talking about sex and extra-marital affairs, the four women in a gym; • After: more connections

  25. Questions • What is the film about? Why is it called The Decline of Amdricna Empire? Clip 11 • What are the characters afraid of? • Is the film sympathetic or critical of these characters?

  26. Critique of the Academics • Their theories – • not necessarily right Clips 1, 2, • reflecting their own position clip 9, 11, 12 • Their flippant views of sex & marriage – • Pierre • Remy

  27. Their Limitations and Fears • Shown in the Setting (clips 3, 5); • Claude – illness (clip 4), dangerous sex (clip 6) • Pierre – fear of telephone rings • Dominique – lonely, “rage” in the morning, renewing herself with love with Alain • Diane – (clip 9) aging, insecurity • Louise – wants to be slim, blind to her husband’s disloyalty, serving him all the time.

  28. Their Mutual Support • Claude comforting Louise • Diane comforting Claude • Danielle and Louise playing the piano together • forming a garrison among them (final snow scene)

  29. The Film’s Other • Claude as homosexual ? • The anonymous Oriental, Martinique, African sex objects; • Mustafa (clip 7)

  30. Next Week • Stardom (about a world famous model): see discussion questions in EngSite. -- • The English Patient – chaps 1 & 2 • plot not straightforward, but circular. • Narration -- (e.g. After we see Hana in the villa and then we get to know her decision to stay with the EP there [chap 1]) • Re-telling stories of their past • Major Characters: EP, Hana, Caravaggio, Kip (a Sikh sapper) –international bastards • Themes: fragmented identity// memory, reading, boundary-breaking forces (desert, war)

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