The Transformative Power of Words: Subverting Traumatic Experiences in Tomson Highway’s Kiss of the Fur Queen and Lee Maracle’s “Goodbye Snauq”

• Authors: Thom Sabrina
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

In the past few decades Native Canadian literature has gained a large and wide audience and has been described as a new and exciting field by critics. While Native-authored texts cannot be reduced to protest writing any longer, the collective trauma, caused by oppression, cultural alienation, deterritorialization as well as persisting inequalities and racism, remains an important theme. Tomson Highway’s debut novel Kiss of the Fur Queen and Lee Maracle’s short story “Goodbye Snauq” both effectively communicate and subvert traumatic experiences. By using a plethora of strategies, these two narratives demonstrate that literature can function as a suitable space for the symbolic transformation and healing of pain and suffering.

Keywords

EN

Lee Maracle; Tomson Highway; Canadian literature; Native/Aboriginal writing; trauma; residential school

• Publisher: Institute of English Studies, University of Warsaw
• Journal: Anglica. An International Journal of English Studies
• Year: 2016
• Issue: 25/1
• Pages: 199-217

Contributors

author

Thom Sabrina

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