Angela Olivares
English major at UBC and hoping to graduate next May. If you have seen my posts and blog in general, you would know me as the girl who’s been struggling with the study of Canadian literature. I’ve been trying and slowly getting there.
My idea of interest lies on the standing of Canadian literature in such a growing capitalist society. Why is it underrated compared to the publication and praise awarded to American literature? It has always peaked my interest that there seems to be a vast difference between an American author and a Canadian one, and the kinds of books each produce. And reading on Frye’s Bush Gardens heightened my interests when he points out that American literature is loved and praised, when Canadian literature is barely acknowledged and far from receiving offers to turn their novels into blockbuster Oscar-nominated movies. And the question is, why hasn’t it yet? What must be done? Does it rely heavily on capitalism and following consumerism needs? Does that mean it has to change its way of writing and unique presentation of culture to achieve such praises?
Jamie King
If all goes well with this class I should graduate this November with a BA in theatre. My area of interest surrounding literature usually translates to performance, specifically in the context of establishing a diverse Canadian identity. I was privileged when I was younger to have experienced quite a wide range of performance, dance/opera/theatre, as well as diverse performers & creators: Marie Clements, Karen Jameson, and many others. Part of this class that really fascinates me is the conversation between western storytelling and indigenous storytelling and their interaction.
In particular – looking at the globalization of performance, and if that is even possible. Director Peter Brooks famously tried to create a globalized performance; however, in similar ways to Ariane Mnouchkine, took performance from cultures that was not their own and adapted it to Western sensibility. In the globalization of storytelling, when do we lose our own voice? How do we incorporate the experiences of other cultures without robbing them of their individual voice?
Whitney Millar
I’m working on finishing my Double Major in Creative Writing and English Literature which, if all goes according to plan, I will have completed by the end of this year. I’m interested in how individuals of different cultural backgrounds can come together to explore and create new ideas, and the influence of social environment. I spend a lot of time thinking about identity — history and origin; development and growth. My ancestors are all immigrants: my dad’s side hailing from all over Europe has been settled in Canada for a few generations, while my maternal grandparents immigrated from China as teenagers. I grew up with the idea of Canada as a land of acceptance and opportunities, but as I learned more about the country’s history I began to wonder: at what cost?