Thanks for the notes, Robyn!!
English Lit. Notes
May 11 2006
Disembarking in Quebec - by Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood decided to write about Susanna Moody because she was one of the first canadian settlers. Margaret traces Susanna’s life coming to and being in Canada.
When Susanna came to Canada her life was not easy. Her status was gone and there was this new harsh way of living. She found herself in this situation that she was uprooted from her life and she was found in a situation that she didn’t want to be in. She lost one of her children, she had to deal with the pain of him drowning.
In the first stanza, Susanna Moody is talking about how she feels that she doesn’t belong. She is trying to figure out what the reason is. Her clothes, her book, the color of her shawl? You can tell that in the first stanza she is feeling very insecure by questioning why people may not like her. Susanna Moody came from an upper class life, so its a thought of hers that people may not like her appearance.
“This space cannot hear”
In the next stanza she is talking about the vistas of desolation, omens of winter and such. She is describing that feeling where many people question if they have the strength and or determination to get through this. Before it was her appearance she questioned, now she is questioning her lack of conviction.
“The others leap and shout freedom”
The others refer to other people that have perhaps been exiled from their countries because of their religious beliefs. They may have also come from poverty and now they have canadas wide open spaces to live.
“The moving water will not show me my reflection”
Even the water in Canada will not show her reflection. She is doubting herself. Vampires can’t see their reflections in mirrors because they aren’t considered people, they don’t have souls. Susanna must think that she is no longer seen as a person. She is lost.
“The rocks ignore”
Nature now ignore hers.
“I am a word in a foreign language”
She no longer understands herself, she is by far lost.
*Kenning- Two words to replace another.
Lily hopper- Frog
