Piquette, the young “Indian” girl with tuberculosis of her leg, is the character the author tries to create the symbolism of the loons with. It is apparent right from the start that the Tonnerre family do not fit in, as Vanessa describes them:
They did not belong among the Cree of the Galloping Mountain reservation, further north, and they did not belong among the Scots-Irish and Ukrainians of Manawaka, either. They were, as my Grandmother MacLeod would have put it, neither flesh, fowl, nor good salt herring. (1)
This being said, it is not hard to imagine that there is prejudice towards the Tonnerre family. While Vanessa is sitting near Diamond Lake with her father, her father tells her to listen to the Loons while they are still there, because once other people move in near the lake, they will all go away. The loons are symbolic to the Tonnerre family, once the European families moved in around the area, they could not continue to live they way they once had. At the end Vanessa says Piquette might have been the only one that actually heard the crying of the loons, being symbolic in that she was the one that identified with their struggle to find a place to call home.
Among the symbolism of the Loons, the author also made mention of Diamond Lake numerous times, I am not sure what the symbolism is there, but considering it is water, and the insightful part at the end is also at the lake, I would say it symbolizes reflection.
The author also alludes that something may have happened between Piquette and Vanessa's father beyond a simple act of kindness, however it is never made clear what has happened. In my research online it said there were three stories and "The Loons" was just a part of it, so I suppose one of the other two would help to explain the inklings left in "The Loons"
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I really find it interesting that you mention how the loons represent the Tonnerres. I didn't really catch that when I was reading. In history when settlers moved West the traditions of the native tribes vanished, they could no longer live like they had for centuries. They are thus forced to conform to the new society. Like the settlers entering a new territory, Piquette herself really never fit in. In such circumstances, Piquette seems to be a metephorical nomad in her own skin since she cannot find the acceptance she deserves which is why she hears the loons crying. I can also agree on the loose ends, perhaps Laurence wanted us to fill in the gaps.
ReplyDeleteI really like your perspective on the story. It wasn’t until after I had I read what you had written about the Loons being symbolic of the Tonnerre family, that I put the two together. Before reading your post I was still struggling to see why the loons were such an essential part of the story. After all, the story is named after them. I agree, Piquette probably was the only one who was able to hear them because just like the loons, when her families’ surroundings changed they could no longer be comfortable in their own home. As a student, reading and understanding your perspective gave the story a much deeper meaning.
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