Take, for example, her musings on historical Canadians: "The Canadian tradition was, she had found, on the whole, genteel. Her characters, settings, and descriptions are lively, strongly visual, and at times amusing. The real "subject" of the book is Lou's growth from retiring recluse to more confident woman although the medium of transformation is through sexual awakening, this is not the sole or even principal end result.įinally, a word must be added about Engel's wonderful writing. I do not agree with this censor's view, but agree that it is not a book for children or prudes. The only other inhabitant of the island is the pet bear of prior the occupants, and a strongly sexual - though not consummated - relationship develops between them The subject matter of this book may be very disturbing to some - an afterward in the Canadian edition to this book notes that many have described the book as "pornographic". In broad outline, Engel tells the story of a bookish young woman, Lou, working as an archivist in dusty historical institute, who is given the field assignment to catalog a nineteenth century library located on a remote island in Ontario. Winner of the Governor General's Award (Canada) in 1976, it clearly has attained critical success. Marian Engel's short novel Bear is an odd book.
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