(Q:2) After examining the stories discussed in lesson 2:6, I then dove into the introduction by Susanna Moodie to Roughing it in the Bush. It is evident throughout this introduction that is on some level aware of the stories that she carried with her. As it ties into our theme of life stories, stories of home and origin stories, everyone has a story and Susanna Moodie was no exception. There are many parallels that do not even require reading between the lines to connect them with the stories, such as her discussion of “the waste places of earth,” which is reflected in the land with no souls or her extensive discussion of those who immigrated that mirrors the narratives present in the vanishing Indian.
From the introduction, I think that Susanna Moodie was no stranger to stories and knew exactly what she had to share. She yearns for a land that is prosperous and ruled by god, as introduced throughout her introduction, yet is very intermingled in stories such as, a second Garden of Eden, a gift from God and an empty/wasted land. This proves her agenda from the beginning and shows her true nature as a storyteller. The above hyperlink delves deeper into her life and further shows her integrity and knowledge of not only who she was as a person but also her awareness of the stories which she carried with her.
Bibliography
“Biography – STRICKLAND, SUSANNA – Volume XI (1881-1890) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography.” Home – Dictionary of Canadian Biography, www.biographi.ca/en/bio/strickland_susanna_11E.html.
