Survival

A Thematic Guide to Canadian Literature

Survival: A Thematic Guide to Canadian Literature surveys core motifs and psychological patterns in Canadian writing. Margaret Atwood argues that the central national preoccupations of Canadian literary expression are survival and victimhood in the face of harsh natural and cultural forces. Across thematic essays examining nature, pioneers, animals, and settlers, she analyzes key works by Canadian authors. The study examines how national identity shapes the literature of a country positioning itself against colonial legacies.

by Margaret Atwood

Boréal · First published 1972 · 266 pages