The Passing of Grandison

In "The Passing of Grandison," Canada is a symbol of freedom. Before Dick and Grandison leave for their trip north, Colonel Owens describes Canada to Grandison as "a dreary country, where the woods are full of wildcats and wolves and bears, where the snow lies up to the eaves of the houses for six months of the year, and the cold is so severe that it freezes your breath and curdles your blood." As a plantation master whose livelihood is threatened by an increasing number of slaves escaping to Canada, Owens's description of the country is designed to strike fear into Grandison's heart. While Grandison does appear concerned to be in Canada with Dick, at the end of the story, Grandison returns with his family. The final image of the fugitive slaves boating toward freedom in Canada emphasizes the country's symbolic importance.