Abstract: The Loons talks about a story of a half-Indian girl whom tries to fight against the unfair society. However, the girl is overcome by the cruel society in the
end. Just the same as the dooms of the loons,
she
is totally failed.
This essay, through analyzing a short story The Loons written by Margaret
Laurence, has talked about the symbolic meaning of the loons.
Symbolism is a thing that stands for or suggests something else by cause of relationship, association, convention or accidental resemblance; especially, a perceptible sign of something imperceptible.
In this story, Margaret Laurence writes the story of Piquette Tonnerre, a
half-Indian girl who grows up under harsh situation in a white-dominated society that suppresses half-breeds.
Margaret Laurence uses a lot of symbolisms in The Loons to make the story more appealing. In the story, the loons have its symbolic implication. The loons are metaphorically referred as Piquette who was forced to convert their lifestyle or die out. It mainly talks about the conflict between the loons and civilization and the crash between Metis and white-dominating society.
In the sixth paragraph, Vanessa’s father says:“ What about taking her up to Diamond Lake with us this summer?” Here diamond has its symbolic meaning. In
the world, diamond is precious and not easy for people to get. The lake where the cottage is located actually is the treasure in the nature, like the value of diamond. In addition, what Piquette sees and experiences is the most precious experience in her life.
In the 17th paragraph, “I raced joyfully around my kingdom, greeting all the leader I had not seen for a year.” Here first person “I” refer to Vanessa. There are some reasons why Vanessa uses kingdom to describe the cottage. First, Vanessa lives like a princess and can get what she wants. Second,before Piquette comes to the cottage, the place is Vanessa’s own world. Piquette is straying into her kingdom. Furthermore, the “kingdom” has another meaning. White people invaded and occupied Canada to make Canada become their kingdom, and the Meti become the insignificant one.
In the 23th paragraph, “When she saw me approaching, her hand squashed flat the sand castle she had been building,and she looked at me sullenly, without speaking.” The sentence talks about Piqutte builds up her castle, but she ruins it in order not to be seen by Vanessa. Here the castle not only represents the castle she builds up by sands, but also stands for the dream in her heart. She does not want others to see her dream inside.
In the 39th paragraph,
“At night the lake was like black glass with a streak of amber…They rose like phantom birds from the nests on the shore, and flew out onto the dark still surface of the water.”This
sentence shows that what the lake looks like in
the
night. It is the same as the cool world which Piquette lives in. There is no help, no friends nearby.
In the 40th paragraph,
“ No one can ever describe that ululating sound, the crying of the loons…a world separated by aeons from our neat world of summer cottages and the lighted lamps of home.” Here the crying not only represents the loons’ crying, but also represents
Piquette’s
everything.
Piquette is a Metis. Her world is always falling behind ours. Not only the ways her used to live, but also the ways she thinks, the ways she talks, the clothes she wears, the things she can imagine. Suppose that she doesn’t step into our world, she will not feel so helpless. The ululating sound, the crying of the loons are the symbol of Piquette. The beautiful singings of the loons will only remain in our mind just as the culture of the Indians will one day be known to the world through the museum.
These symbolisms in The loons make the essay more appealing and meaningful. It also calls for our deep thought: Should the development of human beings establish on the sacrifice of nature?
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