In my next several blog posts, I will be going through a collection of short stories called “Best Canadian Stories 2017” edited by John Metcalf. I wanted to look at recent works by Canadian authors to see the current trends in Canadian literature. I also wanted to expose myself to a variety of authors with different backgrounds, voices and messages. As you can tell by this post’s title, the themes within each story differed greatly.
Today’s post will discuss the first four stories in the book:
- “Old Growth” by Lisa Alward
- “Cherry Sun” by Frankie Barnet
- “Beasts” by Grant Buday
- “Funny Hat” by Jowita Bydlowska
“Old Growth”
Who is the author?
- A short fiction writer who was born in Halifax and who currently lives in Fredericton, New Brunswick.
- Was recently long listed in the 2018 CBC Short Story Prize.
What’s their story about?
- A woman reflects on her separation with her husband as she accompanies him to the woods to look at an off-the-grid house he is thinking of purchasing.
What do you think of it?
- Initially, I wasn’t super impressed by it. I found the metaphors overly obvious and predictable (the title referring to the lingering feelings and unresolved issues that Gwyneth has with Ray; the dilapidated shack representing their inability to rebuild their relationship; the constant references to age relating to the aged property and the time that has passed and separated them). However, upon further reflection, I think I have a better understanding of why the story is important.
- I am young. I have never been married. I have experienced heartbreak, but I am aware that it is different at my age than it is when you are older, have a family and are ready to settle. But in saying that, I can still appreciate the lingering pain that Gwyneth feels, that many feel, even after they’ve moved on from past relationships. When you think back to an old love, it takes you back to a certain stage in your life. You see something, and you associate it with that person, even if only for a moment, and it makes you feel something; the recognition of a former familiarity that is fading. Those little reminders stay with you even when you’ve overcome your loss of that person and are now in a new relationship. I am able to recognize that lingering sadness within Gwyneth when she is with Ray; it is almost as though she has been taken to the past, albeit a distorted version, and is reminded of both the good and the bad parts of the time she spent with him. I think that is ultimately what makes this story powerful – it shows how old wounds often still ache, and how our past selves still haunt us at times when we reminisce about what was or what could have been.
“Cherry Sun”
Who is the author?
- A Montreal-based writer who has published several short stories.
- Published her first book, An Indoor Kind of Girl, in 2016.
What’s their story about?
- A woman named Clarice who works at a zoo recounts her various sexual experiences with co-workers, while a capybara in the enclosure struggles to mate and then loses her babies.
What do you think of it?
- Funny, descriptive and insightful. The opening paragraph immediately drew me in. There were great parallels drawn between Clarice and the capybara she is caring for and an interesting exploration of the nature of human sexuality and people’s animal-like instincts. Clarice’s struggle to find stability, happiness and meaning in her life is powerfully represented by the capybara’s display of grief at the end of the piece. The dark undertones throughout this seemingly lighthearted story are what make it so effective. It is up to the reader to decide why Clarice behaves the way she does, and what this says about human desire and intimacy and the differences between us and the rest of the animal kingdom. Out of the stories discussed in this post, I think this one is my favourite for its unique, thought-provoking approach.
“Beasts”
Who is the author?
- A writer from New Westminster, British Columbia.
- Has published at least nine novels according to the most recent biographical information found online.
What’s their story about?
- Set in the past when Canada was called the New World, a man drunkenly purchases a ‘beast’ and travels from town to town hoping it will dance and entertain crowds. The beast just sits, until it is brought to a wealthy estate where it is purchased by someone more caring, is encouraged to eat, drink and speak, and then dances freely for the spectators.
What do you think of it?
- Different, perplexing but very intriguing. The protagonist’s greed and lack of empathy causes his lack of compassion for the beast and makes the ending satisfying; while he is paid handsomely for selling the beast to Monsieur La Mayor, he still seems destitute in that he is left without love or companionship or any prospects of true happiness. Of course it is obvious that the real beast is him, and that it is up to man to decide whether to pursue his beastly nature or a higher moral ground. Elements of the story reminded me of Frankenstein, with the beast suffering because of its owner and how it becomes more and more human-like, except unlike Victor, the main character has no regrets or self-loathing; instead, his selfishness and arrogance persists.
“Funny Hat”
Who is the author?
- A Toronto-based writer who moved to Canada from Warsaw, Poland as a teenager.
- Has published several short stories, journalistic pieces, a memoir and a novel.
- Has her own website about her life and work.
What’s their story about?
- A woman loses her baby shortly after it is born and then loses herself in her grief, becoming detached from her life and her husband, who is not able to fully recognize her pain and just wants her to move on.
What do you think of it?
- Beautiful prose capturing a sad, familiar story of a woman whose husband treats her more like an object of desire than a life partner. The narrator withdraws from life when she sees what her life could have been as she watches other families around her. The story shows the isolating effects of pain and grief and how lacking support and compassion can have detrimental effects on one’s recovery. I enjoyed this piece, and my favourite line is when the narrator remarks that:
“On his computer he had a folder with hundreds of pictures of me in different underwear and dresses and shoes he had purchased for me. I was a thing, a doll, and I had to behave like a doll, otherwise he didn’t know what to do with me” (Bydlowska 61).
- This story, and all stories about objectified women, are important and deserve more recognition.
I will continue to look at the rest of the short stories in this collection in my next several blog posts, so stay tuned!
Read, Write, Repeat 