Open Collections

Harvey, Karlene

University of British Columbia

This thesis examines Eden Robinson’s Trickster Trilogy series through theoretical trickster discourse as opposed to a comparison to the Canadian Gothic. Part of this focus will consider the complications with subsuming distinct Indigenous storytelling practices into Canadian literary categories. One consequence of relying on this form of critique is that it omits the specific and unique histories and ideologies of the Indigenous Nations from which these trickster stories originate. It becomes especially problematic when comparing modern Indigenous stories to the Canadian Gothic due to how Indigenous peoples frequently appear within the Gothic tradition as historical, ghostly, or only from the past. Robinson bases this story on Heiltsuk and Haisla trickster stories to put this story in conversation with the experiences of Indigenous youth in modern-day society. These methodologies are not historical; they necessitate ongoing modernization and comprehension. This ensures these stories function as an activation point for contemporary Indigenous listeners and readers to reflect and reconnect their locality with their distinct cultural values. This thesis will explore how the Trickster Trilogy reinforces Indigenous lifeways, dialogue, and resilience by centering on trickster story methodologies.

Text

2022-05-27

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/81647

English

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/