Hello and welcome to my blog for English 470: ‘Oh Canada… Our Home and Native Land?’ My name is Tillie Stainsby-Anderson and I am a 3rd year English Literature major, currently living in Cambridge, England.
During English 470, I will be focusing on the study of Canadian writings through a historical context. I hope to explore a wide variety of narratives, and challenge my pre-conceived notions on Canadian culture through stories. I look forward to engaging with the other students and creating our own dialogue on Canadian history. Similarly to other students, I do enjoy distance learning classes, as it allows for everyone to openly express their opinions without the anxiety of public speaking.
Throughout my studies – secondary school and university – I have always found comfort in stories. Having explored a selected number of history courses at UBC, I always choose literary research topics as I find narratives to be extremely captivating. Interestingly, my father is a Canadian historian, and my mother has her Master’s Degree in creative writing. So, this course really resonates with me.
While reading through the course outline for English 470A, I kept thinking about Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED talk I watched six years ago. In her presentation, Adichie demonstrates how easily people accept ‘single stories.’ She warns the audience of the danger that comes with hearing from only one demographic. While her discussion is based on her childhood in Nigeria, I think her belief that we should seek stories from every culture, even ones so different from our own, quite resonates with the themes of this course. There is insight and value in everyone’s narrative.
Similarly to Adichie’s attitude towards Nigeria, I hope to expand my perspective of Canada through the voices of others. Prior to moving to England, I was living on a float home in Mosquito Creek Marina, North Vancouver. I lived with my mom and older sister. I have attached a photo from our home below.
Our float home is located on the Squamish Nation Band. Living on the Squamish band has allowed me to briefly explore Native American culture. However, I do hope this course will open up even more avenues, and allow me to discuss and explore unique stories with other students.
I hope you all feel the same!
Works Cited
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. “The Danger of a Single Story.” TED. TED Talks, July 2009. Web. 09 Sept. 2016.
“Squamish Nation: Our Culture.” Squamish Nation. N.p., 2013. Web. 09 Sept. 2016.
JunyiWu
September 14, 2016 — 9:41 pm
Hello Tillie,
I enjoyed reading your blog where you cite Adichie in terms of her warning on the danger of people’s inclination towards hearing and accepting ‘single stories’. However, you also make it explicit that one of your expectations on this course is to challenge your “pre-conceived notions on Canadian culture” through exploring a wide range of literary genres. It seems that you are not fully exposed to the narratives associated with the tradition of Canadian Indigenous orature, which represents the stories of “others”, until being involved in this class. In the sense that Indigenous story-telling should be considered as an integral part of Canadian Literature which you have studied for three years now, what reasons do you think its voice in the realm of Canadian Literature has been underheard in the Canadian educational setting? Is there a gap of the awareness in the variety of Canadian literary genres that awaits to be filled somewhere? I look forward to your critical thoughts on that.
Cheers, Patrick
TillieStainsbyAnderson
September 17, 2016 — 6:47 am
Hi Patick,
Thank you for your comment. It is so thoughtful, and I really appreciate that!
I do think Indigenous story-telling is very much unexplored in other literature courses – Canadian and otherwise. Personally, I have often found that one has to seek these stories on their own.
I have often found that ‘classic literature’ tends to be focused on during literature courses, and tends to be ‘western society’ novels from 19th to 20th century, such as George Orwell’s 1984. Do you think we should begin incorporating more Indigenous Lit into general English Lit courses?
ali
September 14, 2016 — 10:52 pm
Tillie, thank you for sharing your interesting combination of adventures in learning. I can see how this course resonates well with you. I am intrigued to know if living on the Squamish Nation gave you some insight to some of their stories? Was there a willingness to share their history with you?
Your reference to Adichie’s TED talk about the danger and ease of knowing only “single stories” is relevant, as you say, in Canada. I believe the idea of “single stories” is a pitfall in many countries and continents and with the rapid globalization that is occurring today an awareness of the existence of more than one story is key to preserving, respecting cultures and working together as the world becomes a smaller and smaller place.
TillieStainsbyAnderson
September 17, 2016 — 6:40 am
Hi Ali,
Thanks for your reply!
To be honest, they are so open and inviting to everyone. There is an office in the marina where a person would be able to stop by and talk to them about anything. Personally, I have not sought their stories as much as I should have. I am hoping this course really inspires me to get involved as soon as I am back in North Vancouver.
erikapaterson
September 19, 2016 — 9:36 am
Hello Tillie;
Welcome to our course of studies together and thank you for a great introduction. I am looking forward to working together and learning from your perspectives. Thanks for the hyperlinks as well – I have shared the TedTAlk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on our Facebook page – this is indeed one of my favourites. Enjoy.
Erika
erikapaterson
September 19, 2016 — 9:38 am
Hello again Tillie – can you please adjust your settings so that comments are automatically posted without moderation – thank you. Erika
TillieStainsbyAnderson
September 20, 2016 — 12:39 am
Hi Erika, I have sorted out my comments 🙂 Thank you!
Tillie
Vakguath
August 1, 2017 — 8:01 pm
kosmetyki-profesjonalne.eu – profesjonalne kosmetyki.