Death, Loss, and Their Repercussions in the Stories of Alistair MacLeod Andrew Duan 12th Grade

"…the tears froze to their reddened cheeks."

Indeed, Calum's mental interpretation of his father's grief as a child unveils the poignant sorrow often associated with loss in MacLeod's text. Inspired by a historical context of decaying Cape Breton traditions, Alistair MacLeod's elegiac anthology of short stories Island provides readers with a perception of the heartbreak that is an impact of death and the passing of traditions. MacLeod's oeuvre encourages readers to consider the bitterness of the fragmentation of families and loss of traditional lifestyles. The ramifications of loss, moreover, extend to a belated appreciation of sacrifice for MacLeod's Cape Breton peoples. MacLeod also facilitates an understanding of the overwhelming bereavement that is an impact of death.

MacLeod delineates to readers the bitter resentment that is a corollary of the loss of traditions. In "The Boat", MacLeod orchestrates antithesis of the mother "looking upon the sea with love and [her son] with bitterness" to highlight the antipathy that is a repercussion of a loss of family unity. Indeed, the narrator's reflection of how his mother "of all the Lynns has neither son nor son-in-law who will go to the boat" seeks to evoke in readers memories...