Empire of Wild Analysis

Empire of Wild is a fantasy novel set in a small rural town in Ontario, Canada. The narrator tells the story from a third-person perspective using an apprehensive tone with an optimistic mood. The novel's protagonist is Joan, a devastated woman looking for her missing husband for over a year. The major conflict in the novel happens when Joan and her husband, Victor, fight over the disputed family land. Dimaline’s main themes in the novel include depression, exploitation, and culture. The primary symbolism in the novel is the tent at the parking lot, which symbolizes hope.

The novel opens with Joan and her husband, Victor arguing over disputed family property. Victor gets angry and disappears without notice after the argument. Joan stays at home, hoping her husband will return before the end of the day. Unfortunately, Victor never returns, leaving Joan depressed for the whole year. The theme of depression is evident throughout the novel because Joan is unhappy, worried, and confused. Joan spends the rest of her life searching for Victor without success.

The next issue of focus in the novel is exploitation. Wealthy individuals in society take advantage of the poor by illegally taking their resources. For instance, Dimaline depicts Heiser as a corrupt person who uses his influence and wealth to acquire large tracks of land using corrupt means. The paradox in the novel is that the rich continue to defraud the poor to gain wealth and influence. The reader expects influential people in society to uplift people with low incomes, but that is not happening. In addition, Dimaline focuses on the significance of culture and its influence on the life of her characters in the novel. For instance, Joan is raised in a Métis community that strictly observes its traditions. Joan knows that she must always respect her husband and elders. She later regrets when she confronts her husband. Joan’s husband mysteriously disappears because he thinks his wife is disrespectful.

Dimaline uses the tent outside the parking lot to represent Joan's hope of finding her husband, Victor. As Joan walks beside Walmart, she hears Victor's voice preaching, and she goes to check, but the man does not recognize her. Thus, whenever Joan sees a tent, she becomes hopeful that she is about to find Victor.