Canada: Past and Present Canadian Literature and Film: General Introduction 2003 S, Kate Liu

Outline n General Views General Views n “Who Are We?”Who Are We? n National Identity: u History History u Myths Myths u Present Realities Present Realities n General Themes of our Course General Themes

MICHAEL J. FOX Keanu Reeve Captain Kirk Jim Carrey ALANIS MORISSETTE k.d. Lang Celine Dion Paul Anka, Neil Young, Peter Jennings... Dan Aykroyd Pamela Ander- son Lee Megan Follow as Anne of Green Gables Which of the following are Canadians?

Internet Jokes on Cultural Differences n Aussies: Dislike being mistaken for Pommies (Brits) when abroad. n Canadians: Are rather indignant about being mistaken for Americans when abroad. n Americans: Encourage being mistaken for Canadians when abroad. n Brits: Can't possibly be mistaken for anyone else when abroad.

Internet Jokes on Cultural Differences n Americans: Spell words differently, but still call it "English". n Brits: Pronounce their words differently, but still call it "English". n Canadians: Spell like the Brits, pronounce like Americans. n Aussies: Add "G'day", "mate" and a heavy accent to everything they say.

n Aussies: Are extremely patriotic to their beer. n Americans: Are flag- waving,anthem-singing, and obsessively patriotic to the point of blindness. n Canadians: Can't agree on the words to their anthem, when they can be bothered to sing them. n Brits: Do not sing at all but prefer a large brass band to perform the anthem. Internet Jokes on Cultural Differences

Canadian History u New France u Charles II of England established HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY n Canada become a confederation of former colonies (The British North America Act) n the creation of the status of Canadian citizen n expo '67 in Montreal n The Constitution Act ended British control over amendments to Canada's Constitution. n Canadian Multiculturalism Act

Canadian Identity n Compared with the States, it merged quite late, slowly and peacefully in the 20 th century. n Defined in contrast with the Americans -- White North (but not the West), Irony (but not Innocence), victim mentality (but not heroism), Mounties but not cowboy, etc. n Characteristics (?): Gentleness + violent hockey, Two solitudes. n "As Canadian as possible,..., under the circumstances."

“The Canadian North”: Its Myths and “Realities” n The Group of Seven

Myth 1: Victim Mentality n “Garrison Mentality” n “Victim Mentality” vs. American individualism e.g. Atwood 在 Survival 中視加人 為自然力量的「集體受害者」， 主張加拿大文學即是移民文學， 哀悼「離家及失落」。 But who are the victims?

Myth 2: Two Solitudes n Duality -- caused by settler-colonization and neo-colonialism – French and English; – British, American & “Canadian”  The Other Solitudes

Myth 3: Mosaic and Multiculturalism Immigrants to Canada n Early 20 th century: Italians and Jews discriminated against n the postwar new-comers: at first mainly British, and then Dutch and German n in the 1960s -- Mediterranean peoples, notably Italians, Greeks and Portuguese, n in the 1970s -- a steadily growing number of Asians--from India and China via Hong Kong especially and of people of ultimately African origin via the Caribbean. Ghettoized? V e r t i c a l Mosaic

Present Realities n Depression  the reduction funding for social programs; n The government seen as ineffective and wasteful; n 1995 referendum  separation is no longer impossible. n Global culture

General Themes 1. Nation vs. Globalization 2. Gender relations and stereotypes in small towns and in a large city. 3. Voices from the Margins Other Recurrent themes: Memory; fragmentary identity; war; body and identity, language and identity, etc.