Rudy Wiebe and the historicity of the word
In an entertaining re-examination of Rudy Wiebe's major novels, Penny van Toorn presents a completely new way of reading one of Canada's foremost contemporary writers. She analyzes Wiebe's struggle to control the "socially contested territory" of language, and identifies the principles that underlie his complex narrative structures. Along the way, she addresses broader issues such as the White writer's semiotic control over Native Peoples; theories of historiography; and questions pertaining to authority, appropriation, hybridity, translation, orality, and audience - all matters of particular relevance to Wiebe and other writers who have multiple cultural and linguistic affiliations. Drawing on Wiebe's manuscript materials, her own interviews with him, and background information concerning Mennonite doctrines, history, and political values, Dr. van Toorn creates a fresh context in which to read Wiebe's novels, and gives the first real answer to his own famous question " Where is the voice coming from?"
Criticism, interpretation, etc
1 online resource (271 p.)
9781417591305, 9780888642653, 1417591307, 0888642652
1283914048
Intro
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
1 The Politics of Narrative Practice
2 Peace Shall Destroy Many: Breaking Open the Capsule
3 First and Vital Candle: Beyond Polyphony
4 The Blue Mountains of China: History as Inadvertent Confession
5 The Temptations of Big Bear: Redeeming Canada's Past
6 The Scorched-Wood People: Freed into Certain Bondage
7 My Lovely Enemy: The Beloved Familiar and the Beloved New
8 Where is Your Voice Coming From, Rudy Wiebe?
Appendix: The Early History and Doctrines of the Mennonite Church
Notes
Bibliography
Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph
English