Assignment 3:2 How do we build this nation through myth?

I’m writing this blog in response to question 6, which asks, “In the following paragraphs in her essay, Maracle answers her question describing what she sees to be the function of literary criticism in Salish society. Summarize her answer and then make some comparisons between Maracle and Frye’s analysis of the role of myth in nation building.”

In order for criticism to arise naturally from within our culture, discourse must serve the same function it has always served. In Euro-society, literary criticism heightens the competition between writers and limits entry of new writers to preserve the original canon. What will its function be in our societies? (Maracle, 88)

First off, I wanted to express that I was definitely excited to see this question on Lee Maracle, since I’ve mentioned her work previously in my other blogs.

What struck me from the lecture was the quotation, “Unless we write from within the culture and from our original knowledge, we cannot grow culturally, and the current problems of social anomie will continue unabated (Maracle, 82).” This really resonated from me and I took it to heart, as I’ve read a novel of hers that depicts a heroine that have drifted from her culture and community. From just this sentence alone however, does not give a full scope of what she sees to be the function of literary criticism in Salish culture. From the section “What Does All This Have to Do with Literature?” Maracle comments on the fact that while she has respect for the scholars they learn and their literary standpoint will come from a “Euro-culture, Euro-systems (88)” framework. From this we can imagine that the scope of the understanding from only this framework is limited upon Western traditions. Continuing on, Maracle remarks that in order to have a “broad and solid foundation” of one’s own society, that person can then go on to develop, advance, and augment upon that foundation. Maracle says that such analysis can not be done by “those who merely live within the culture either. It can only be done by those who live within the culture and who have studied the base…(84)”.

What I took from Maracle on the idea of myth in nation-building the myth-maker and the nation come together to expand upon each other through original processes and original stories (85). Maracle also talks about the transformation of the myth, how “the process of gather together to find what is new and being born (85).” As Maracle continues on with the importance of understand the heart of the Salish people’s stories, it also seems as though transformation of those stories/myths are not only welcomed but necessary. Her answer simply is that we do need to examine the “old story” first but then be able to transform it as to apply to the nation as it transforms. It seems as though the intent and the root of the myth is what the nation will build upon, that’s the part that will transcend through contemporary context. Looking back to my previous post, I feel like I might’ve had the wrong impression of Salish stories as “absolute truths” but eventually got to a similar conclusion on storytelling in the comments.

In comparison, I don’t find that Frye’s ideas to be that opposing as both authors seem to stress on the idea of transformation. I feel as though Frye is suggesting that myth impacts the way literature is written and thus through literature is what has molded into this idea of the “Canadian imagination”. I do find it rather tough to be comparing the two, especially after Maracle commented on the limitations of a singular viewpoint framework. Given what we know about Frye, it feels like there’s a distance between what Frye might depict as Canadian literature and what Maracle views. That being said, I feel like the two both touch upon the strength that stories/storytelling have on a nation as a whole. Though this are just my initial feelings! I do think that there’s room for interpretation on both sides!

Thank you for reading!

Works Cited:

Frye, Northrop. The Bush Garden; Essays on the Canadian Imagination. 2011 Toronto: Anansi. Print.

Maracle, Lee. “Toward a National Literature: A Body of Writing.” Across Cultures, Across Borders Canadian Aboriginal and Native American Literatures by Paul Warren Depasquale, Renate Eigenbrod, Emma Larocque (z-lib.org), Broadview, 2010. Print.