tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383119466961870537.post5335078760393554214..comments2024-02-27T13:22:06.787-05:00Comments on Literature Frenzy!: Deal Me in Challenge: Canadian Experience by Austin ClarkeJason Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334917645691982404noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383119466961870537.post-8232185444364442142023-02-23T21:38:36.383-05:002023-02-23T21:38:36.383-05:00I just finished this story and I enjoyed it in the...I just finished this story and I enjoyed it in the way someone enjoys a depressing tragedy, which is to say, uneasily. <br />I was curious to know more about the author and other people's interpretations of the story.<br /><br /> I don't think I agree with your attributing such hostility in Clarke towards Canada. Yes, his protagonist here feels alienated in his new home, and yes in modern times we could say this is partly because of systemic racism, but it seems to me most of this character's failings are attributable to his being lost in this new society , with it's unfamiliar people and unfamiliar customs. The narrator paints the character as lacking motivation, of not understanding the necessity of persistent employment in our ruthless capitalist economy, etc. Yes the character feels people were "looking through him" but there is no objective evidence of this in the story. The only other character we get to know is his white roommate who appears very caring towards him despite his thinly veiled disdain of her.<br />The evidence here points towards a man who is full of self doubt in this new land and feels lost outside of the culture he grew up in. I don't see this as a critique of systemic racism in Canada. Clarke himself, after all, came over to Canada in these very circumstances and succeeded beyond most Canadians dreams. Rory Granthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03228171670589358525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383119466961870537.post-13704790945830179012020-09-08T11:51:00.962-04:002020-09-08T11:51:00.962-04:00..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383119466961870537.post-5532876976486062192016-12-19T13:51:38.806-05:002016-12-19T13:51:38.806-05:00An astute observation and I do agree with you that...An astute observation and I do agree with you that dark or bleak subject matters seems to be a recurring trend in a lot of Canadian authors. I'm not sure if it is an inherent pessimism or inclination to depict Canada, both literally and figuratively as this cold and hostile land. <br /><br />This is a great story and I obviously highly recommend it to all but I have a sneaking suspicion that you would feel differently. <br /><br />Despite all the reading challenges that I have to catch up on, I shall take on another one: to convince you to read more Canadian works! Jason Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08334917645691982404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5383119466961870537.post-51148116803029595612016-12-16T02:31:38.039-05:002016-12-16T02:31:38.039-05:00It sounds like an interesting critique but I wonde...It sounds like an interesting critique but I wonder why the content of Canadian authors often seems so bleak. It makes me want to avoid them, but thanks to you and your patriotic reading habits, I'm getting exposed to many more of them than I otherwise would have. It's probably time I steeled myself and read more Canadian content. Hmmm .....Cleohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13152128642971612433noreply@blogger.com