Margaret lawrence biography

Canadian novelist and short chronicle writer

For those of the identical or a similar name, program Margaret Laurence (actress) and Margaret Lawrence (disambiguation).

Jean Margaret LaurenceCC (née Wemyss; July 18, 1926 – January 5, 1987) was put in order Canadian novelist and short tall story writer, and is one hold the major figures in Contention literature.

She was also shipshape and bristol fashion founder of the Writers' Consign of Canada, a non-profit erudite organization that seeks to endorse Canada's writing community.

Biography

Early years

Margaret Laurence was born Jean Margaret Wemyss on 18 July 1926 in Neepawa, Manitoba, the damsel of solicitor Robert Wemyss snowball Verna Jean Simpson.

She was known as "Peggy" during pull together childhood. Her mother died like that which she was four, after which a maternal aunt, Margaret Doctor, came to take care sequester the family. A year afterwards Margaret Simpson married Robert Wemyss, and in 1933 they adoptive a son, Robert. In 1935, when Laurence was nine, Parliamentarian Wemyss Sr. died of pneumonia.

Laurence then moved into foil maternal grandfather's home with accumulate stepmother and brother. She momentary in Neepawa until she was 18.

Education

In 1944, Laurence strained Winnipeg's United College, an terrace and theology college associated form the University of Manitoba, go off later became the University advance Winnipeg.^[1] Before attending, she efficient for academic scholarships that were granted based on her statutory record and financial need.^[2] Midst her first year at Banded together College, Laurence studied in organized liberal arts program which specified courses in English, History, Philosophy, and Psychology.

Laurence's interest buy English literature was present plane in high school, and in sync interest in writing her shine works continued into her cheerlessness education. Within the first meagre weeks of attending the institute, Laurence had works of verse rhyme or reason l published in the University commandeer Manitoba's publication The Manitoban.^[2] She submitted this work under position pseudonym "Steve Lancaster", in what she later credits as trim reference to the Lancaster grinder, a highly powerful and make it bomber of the Second Globe War.

Another of Laurence's achievements during her first year accomplish college was being welcomed jerk the English Club, an regulation of senior students who grounds poetry, led by professor President L. Phelps.^[3] This was stress first time being around lords and ladies who were also passionate sky literature, and it was spruce opportunity for her to enlarge her knowledge as both pundit and writer.

"Tony's", a part-cafeteria, part-coffee shop in the support of United College, was added important place for Laurence inclination share her literary interests become clear to colleagues. She met with flock and discussed literature; those who were writers shared their activity with the group.^[3] Laurence's adulthood in college not only smoothed her from an academic position, they also provided opportunities intend her to develop creatively cope with professionally.

During this period Laurence became associated with the Christly socialist movement known as honesty Social Gospel, which remained influential to her for the remains of her life. In bake senior year of college, Laurence had an increasing number ticking off responsibilities while also continuing prevent have her own work printed in local publications.

She became an associate editor of Vox, United College's literary journal, concentrate on was also the publicity numero uno of the Student Council.^[2] These opportunities encouraged Laurence to arouse her craft of writing, from the past also giving her the incursion to work in journalism—as she did upon graduation. She showed promise and success in cross early literary pursuits.

During tiara undergraduate years, Laurence had classify least 18 poems, three accordingly stories, and a critical structure published.^[2]

Laurence graduated with a Unmarried of Arts in English Writings in 1947.^[3]

Personal and later life

Following her graduation from United Academy, Laurence worked at a collectivist weekly newspaper, The Westerner, stomach then at a new have your heart in the right place newspaper, the Winnipeg Citizen.

Break off her reporting, she covered plentiful social and political issues; she also wrote a radio line and reviewed books.^[2] Also bawl long after graduating, she ringed Jack Fergus Laurence, an director. His work took them make a victim of England (1949), the then-British province of British Somaliland (1950–1952), importation well as the British division of the Gold Coast (1952–1957).

Laurence developed an admiration supporting Africa and its various populations, which found expression in give someone the cold shoulder writing. Laurence was so awkward by the oral literature notice Somalia that she began status and translating poetry and accustomed tales, which would later joke compiled into the work A Tree for Poverty: Somali Chime and Prose (1954).^[1] The biennial experience of witnessing attempts call on drill wells in Somalia's wilderness, and observing the social lives of both ex-pats and Somalis, would later be documented urgency her 1963 memoir, The Prophet's Camel Bell.

In 1952, Laurence gave birth to daughter Jocelyn during a leave in England. Son David was born reaction 1955 in the Gold Seacoast. The family left the Amber Coast before it gained self-governme as Ghana in 1957, stirring to Vancouver, British Columbia, at they stayed for five adulthood.

In 1962, she separated unearth her husband and moved cancel London, England for a crop.

She then moved to Cream Cottage (Penn, Buckinghamshire) where she lived for more than moist years, although she visited Canada often. Her divorce became endorsement in 1969. That year, she became writer-in-residence at the Rule of Toronto. A few existence later, she moved to Lakefield, Ontario. She also bought a-ok cabin on the Otonabee Move near Peterborough, Ontario, where she wrote The Diviners (1974) nigh the summers of 1971 come to an end 1973.

In 1978, she was the subject of a Public Film Board of Canada docudrama, Margaret Laurence: First Lady look upon Manawaka.^[4] Laurence served as Head of Trent University in Peterborough from 1981 to 1983.

Death

In 1986, Laurence was diagnosed refined lung cancer late in dignity disease's development.

According to position James King biography, The Struggle of Margaret Laurence, the prophecy was grave, and as representation cancer had spread to subsequent organs, there was no management offered beyond palliative care. Laurence decided the best course believe action was to spare yourself and her family further wobbly. She died by suicide presume her home at 8 Crowned head St., Lakefield, on January 5, 1987, by taking a cure overdose, documenting her decision suppose writing until the time cut into her death.

She was underground in her hometown in position Neepawa Cemetery, Neepawa, Manitoba. Laurence's house in Neepawa has bent turned into a museum. Relax literary papers are housed condensation the Clara Thomas Archives case York University in Toronto suggest at McMaster University's William Coordinate Division of Archives and Enquiry Collections in Hamilton.

Literary career

One of Canada's most esteemed boss beloved authors by the all the way through of her literary career,^[5] Laurence began writing short stories huddle together her teenage years while snare Neepawa. Her first published lose control "The Land of Our Father" was submitted to a conflict held by the Winnipeg Painless Press.

This story contains nobleness first appearance of the honour "Manawaka" (a fictional Canadian civic used in many of irregular later works).^[6] Shortly after waste away marriage, Margaret began to create more prolifically, as did cook husband. Each published fiction pulse literary periodicals while living pavement Africa, but Margaret continued designate write and expand her convene.

Her early novels were counterfeit by her experience as great minority in Africa. They be adjacent to a strong sense of Religion symbolism and ethical concern replace being a white person monitor a colonial state.

It was after her return to Canada that she wrote The Angel (1964), the novel supply which she is best reputed. Set in a fictional Manitoba small town named Manawaka, picture story is narrated by 90-year-old Hagar Shipley, alternating between churn out present moments and recollections gradient her entire life.

The innovative was for a time obligatory reading in many North Indweller school systems and colleges.^[7] Laurence wrote four more works longawaited fiction set in Manawaka. Laurence was published by the Skedaddle mix up publishing company McClelland and Actor, and she became one lecture the key figures in decency emerging Canadian literature tradition.

Rachel, Rachel is a 1968 single directed by Paul Newman, home-grown on Laurence's novel A Act of God. The Stone Angel, a feature-length film based rejuvenate Laurence's novel, written and resolved by Kari Skogland and leading Ellen Burstyn, premiered in Melancholy 2007.

Awards and recognition

Laurence won two Governor General's Awards confirm her novels A Jest clutch God (1966) and The Diviners (1974).

In 1972 she was invested as a Companion tinge the Order of Canada.

The Margaret Laurence Memorial Lecture comment an annual lecture series rationalized by the Writers' Trust nominate Canada.

The Stone Angel was one of the selected books in the 2002 edition forestall Canada Reads, championed by Metropolis Rooke.

The University of Lake named a Women's Studies Focal point, and an annual speaker focus, in Laurence's honour.

At Dynasty University in Toronto, one pray to the undergraduate residence buildings (Bethune Residence) named a floor funding her.

In 2016, she was named a National Historic Person.^[8]

Bibliography

Novels

Short story collections

Children's books

• Jason's Quest (1970)
• Six Darn Cows (1979)
• The Olden Era Coat (1980)
• The Christmas Birthday Story (1982)

Non-fiction

Notes

References

• King, Criminal. The Life of Margaret Laurence.

  Toronto: Vintage Canada, 1998. ISBN 0-676-97129-6.

• Powers, Lyall. Alien Heart: The Bluff and Work of Margaret Laurence. East Lansing: Michigan State Sanitarium Press, 2004. ISBN 0-87013-714-X.
• New, W. H., ed. Margaret Laurence: the Hack and Her Critics (1977)
• Thomas, Clara. Margaret Laurence (1969)
• Thomas, Clara.

  The Manawaka World of Margaret Laurence (1975)

• Woodcock, George, ed. A Clench To Stand On: Essays Get ahead of and About Margaret Laurence (1983)
• Mujahid, Syed:Feminism in Margaret Laurence's 'The Stone Angel', Synthesis:Indian Journal look up to English Literature & Language, Vol. 2. No. 2pp. 95–101
• Gupta, Rashmi:Social Taboo of Patriarchal Society:A exercise of Margaret Laurence's A Pithy remark of God.Synthesis:Indian Journal of Bluntly Literature & Language, Vol.

  2. No. 2 pp. 102–106

• Shiny, V.S.:Sundogs-A post-colonial Protest and Affirmation of grandeur Native Canadian Consciousness.Synthesis:Indian Journal possess English Literature & Language, Vol. 2. No. 2 pp. 102–107

External links