Lonely pilgrim : Emily Carr as writer
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Abstract
This thesis is a critical examination of the literary prose of Emily Carr (1871-45), particularly Klee Wyck (1941), The Book of Small (1871-45), The House of All Sorts (1944), and Hundreds of Thousands (1966). Pause (1953) and The Heart of a Peacock (1953) are discussed in less detail. The initial chapter is an account of the personal and social factors which shaped Carr's career. The next chapter examines her literary motives and principles as discussed in letters and journals. It reveals that the author had particular aims and exacting standards for each kind of writing: her Indian sketches, her journals, her animal stories and her autobiographical essays: An analysis of the books themselves brings appreciation of a vigorous individuality in both subject matter and style, though the later books (Growing Pains and Pause) show some decline in quality. Critical reaction is examined in the final chapter. Reviews cited range from enthusiastic (Klee Wyck) to condemnatory (one reaction to Hundreds and Thousands), but serious criticism has been limited to two articles, neither of them recent. The conclusion is that Carr's significant contribution to Canadian literature, particularly in her treatment of Indian material, has been largely forgotten.