Through Black Spruce
Page 39
Native culture is what I’d call the first pillar of Canadian culture. My own theory is that four pillars exist in our country’s foundation: the English, the French, the Contemporary Immigrant, and the First Nation. Each plays a vital role in supporting and explaining who and what we are. I could go on forever, but I’ll keep it as is. Maybe I’ll write a book about this one day!
Q: What challenges did you face writing in Annie’s young female voice?
Annie’s voice came really naturally to me. I’ve mentioned in the past that I’m very comfortable writing in a woman’s voice, in part because I have seven older sisters. And I’m incredibly lucky to have a wife who is an amazing novelist and my best editor. When in doubt about how Annie might act or respond, all I had to do was ask Amanda’s advice. She’s never shy to point out any inconsistencies or places where a female voice doesn’t ring true.
Q: Was it a challenge for you to capture the life of a model in New York City?
Admittedly, I don’t believe that the world of high fashion is necessarily rocket science. But it certainly has its own complexities and hierarchies. On the surface, we mere mortals glimpse this world of fun and beauty and parties and glamour that all seems so spontaneous and natural. But the preparation, the focused energy, and the planning that happen behind the scenes when creating this imaginary world is rigid and corporate and geared toward making profit. Annie comes to recognize this as she delves deeper into that world, that place where one day she is a shining up-and-comer only to find out that the next day she is an undesirable. I believe the world of fashion is as cutthroat a business as any.
Q: You’ve spoken about writing a third book involving these characters and likened it to Robertson Davies’s Deptford Trilogy. Did you originally envision a series of linked books when you started writing Three Day Road, or was it an organic decision?
I knew that the Bird Clan had a lot more to say as I neared completion of Three Day Road. I’ve mentioned before that I became a little depressed when I finished that book and came to realize it was because the characters with whom I’d spent years communing had gone silent. And then it struck me that my characters, like real people, can live on in their children and grandchildren. This idea excited me. It made me happy again. So yes, I think the idea of a trilogy was a pretty organic decision. As for the final book in the trilogy, the characters are already beginning to whisper to me.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. The gun that Will inherits from his father is described as “a rifle he’d lost but that had come back” and “a burden, not a gift” (p. 50). Discuss the gun’s history and what it represents to Will and his family.
2. When Annie goes to the big city, she is often mistaken for her sister Suzanne. How does this affect her sense of identity and the journey she undertakes?
3. Annie is surprised to find a tight-knit Native community living beneath the overpasses of Toronto and to hear DJ Butterfoot mixing Native songs with modern beats. Discuss the role that old traditions play in contemporary society.
4. “You lose some things,” Will observes, “so you must try and gain some things, too” (p. 89). How is this a theme for both Will and Annie?
5. Will undergoes a significant physical transformation during his time in the woods, and Annie finds herself turning into a shadow of her sister while in New York City. How do their physical changes reflect their spiritual changes?
6. Will tells the stories of his three plane crashes. What do they represent to his character, and to what extent does his own hubris play a part in those crashes?
7. Will comes face to face with two bears, under very different circumstances. Discuss the symbolism of these two bears and what they contribute to Will’s journey as a character.
8. “Fucking stories. Twisted things that come out no matter how we want them” (p. 273). Will and Annie struggle to tell each other their own story. What role does storytelling play in the novel, and why is it important for them to tell these stories to each other?
9. “Everything you need can be taken. Everything you hold dear, it can be taken” (p. 297). How do Will and Annie deal with the losses they face?
10. How has Annie become a healer to both Will and Gordon?