Two Solitudes in Never too Late to Read Classics

Mar 09, 2023 Manybooks rated it liked it

Shelves: canadiana, book-reviews, historical-fiction, canadian-history, quebec, family-dysfunction, some-tedious-parts

For me and also probably first and foremost, Hugh MacLennan’s 1945 novel Two Solitudes is basically the author's attempt to bring together harmoniously the main two cultural and linguistic communities in Canada, namely French Canadians and English Canadians, and with MacLennan also and abundantly clearly textually demonstrating that both the Francophones and the Anglophones are most definitely necessary for this balance to occur, but also and very much importantly, that neither group is somehow For me and also probably first and foremost, Hugh MacLennan’s 1945 novel Two Solitudes is basically the author's attempt to bring together harmoniously the main two cultural and linguistic communities in Canada, namely French Canadians and English Canadians, and with MacLennan also and abundantly clearly textually demonstrating that both the Francophones and the Anglophones are most definitely necessary for this balance to occur, but also and very much importantly, that neither group is somehow to be seen as inherently superior to the other either (which for me is kind of avant garde even now, even in 2023, as far too many books of both fiction and non fiction regarding the French and English Canada debate do tend to place one group rather above the other).

And in my opinion, MacLennan balanced striving for a solution and a reconciliation is clearly shown in Two Solitudes by both the Francophones and the Anglophones being depicted and described as having not only their good but also their less than stellar qualities, both their positives and their negatives (with the fact of the matter that Hugh MacLennan as an Anglophone author from Grace Bay, Nova Scotia truly does not ever try to show in Two Solitudes the English Canadians as automatically glowing, as beyond contempt and criticism and French Canadians as inherently problematic and as simpletons, as total religious and cultural backwaters just by their birth, by their culture and their religion, I do most definitely and warmly appreciate this immensely and in particular with a novel penned in 1945).

But whether Hugh MacLennan thinks that his hope for a lasting harmony between French and English Canada is actually something that is more than just a fond dream and is in fact achievable, this is (at least for me) pretty much as open and as much a so-called cliff hanger as the ending of Two Solitudes. Because indeed, truly, Two Solitudes really does in my humble opinion seem to conclude with more questions than answers provided by MacLennan with a bit of hope for Canada's future perhaps (both generally and also more specifically regarding the characters of Paul, Heather and their families), but with even Paul and Heather's joint future as a married couple totally uncertain, since with Paul going to enlist for fighting in WWII, his own actual survival is of course not at all a forgone conclusion but actually a huge question mark (with maybe some hope of the two solitudes of Canada finally meeting and combining harmoniously given to us as readers by Hugh MacLennan that this is also not necessarily going to be the outcome either or perhaps only a partial success).

Oh and furthermore, what I have also noticed with Two Solitudes is that even how the novel is divided up into four very much distinct parts (of different lengths but each of similar if not in fact equal thematic, of equal textual significance and importance), this very much structurally already reveals MacLennan's constant effort to establish and maintain a balance between the two communities, between Canadian Francophones and Anglophones. For most certainly, if one reads between the lines, how Hugh MacLennan has penned (and has set up) Two Solitudes, for me and specifically signifies that McLennan sees the history of Quebec and of Quebecois culture/language being in every way and manner as important as the history, culture and language of English Canada (and that this is indeed majorly and absolutely necessary if there ever is to be a pan-Canadian balance and harmony, and which also makes the first part of Two Solitudes the longest and the most detailed, as there is just so much information and detail in particular regarding Quebec society and such that needs telling and also explaining for everyone).

Now I originally read Two Solitudes in the spring of 1984, in grade eleven English and as part of a year-long perusal of mostly Canadian literature. And it is interesting to realise that what I totally textually adored as a seventeen year old is not really so much what I most appreciate and enjoy regarding Two Solitudes in 2023. For in 1984, I found Hugh MacLennan's often really meticulous and "information dropping" historical, political and economic facts and details both readable and also engaging, at least compared to the very dry Canadian history and Canadian literature textbook we were also using in class (and no, I actually do not recall the title) but conversely was rather bored with MacLennan's landscape descriptions and totally despised the open ending for Two Solitudes and that Paul and Heather's future was a huge and big question that never would textually receive an answer. But today, the exact opposite has in fact occurred for me regarding Two Solitudes, with my older adult reading self absolutely adoring MacLennan's .verbal landscapes, totally appreciating the open ending of Two Solitudes but also finding myself feeling rather preached at and being relentlessly and teacherly shown and almost accosted with waves upon waves of Canadiana and Canadian history, economics and so on and so on, leaving me with Two Solitudes as appreciating and even enjoying what Hugh MacLennan has written, but that in particular some of the rather heavy duty historical information encountered has kind of at times made Two Solitudes a trifle tedious for me in 2023. ...more

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Feb 26, 2023 Chrissie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ww1, classics, hf, 2023-read, audible-uk, religion, canada, love, relationships, long

Read with Gundula (Manybooks). Our thoughts and comments are visible here under the book review.

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So. I sit here in front of my computer, and don’t know what to say. This is not a good sign! Usually, I am brimming over with thoughts and ideas. In other words, the book did nothing to me emotionally. Intellectually, it hasn’t given me much either. I end where I started.

The book focuses upon the divide between the French and the English people of Quebec, Canada. Repeatedly th Read with Gundula (Manybooks). Our thoughts and comments are visible here under the book review.

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So. I sit here in front of my computer, and don’t know what to say. This is not a good sign! Usually, I am brimming over with thoughts and ideas. In other words, the book did nothing to me emotionally. Intellectually, it hasn’t given me much either. I end where I started.

The book focuses upon the divide between the French and the English people of Quebec, Canada. Repeatedly they are referred to as people of different races. I find this a bit of an exaggeration, but I think it illustrates the depth of the rift in the eyes of Canadians themselves . Religion, politics and economy separate the two, as well as their tie to the land. The setting is the First World War up to the Second. We look at two generations of a family. The father is of French Canadian heritage. His first wife was too, but now his second is Irish. The half-brothers struggle both against each other and in their search for their own identity.

The central topic, the focus upon people of different heritage ad culture living side by side is what drew me to this book. It interests me, having seen and experienced this in Belgium.

I related to that which I already knew but found little that was new.

This is a book of historical fiction. Being fiction, I want the fictional elements to pull me in too. They didn’t. I failed to relate to the family around which the fictional tale is woven. Getting a grip on the familial structure was difficult at the start. The reason for decisions made do eventually become clear, but too many words are wasted. I felt I was stumbling in the dark too long. I felt no emotional connection with any of the characters. Halfway through. the focus shifts from the older generation to the younger, the kids who have now become adults. Rather than drawing me closer to the family as a whole, the shift divided my attention. The story seemed to be taking off in another direction. The story feels split and messy. It stops abruptly, too abruptly. I quite simply don’t like how the fictional tale is told.

The prose is ordinary, although there are descriptive lines I have enjoyed. Now, writing this review, I cannot remember any. Why not?! In a couple of months, I don’t think the novel will remain in my head.

The narrator of the audiobook is Alain Goulem. He doesn’t interfere. By this I mean, he reads the story clearly without dramatizing, and this I like! English, French and American accents are well done. Four stars for the narration. You don’t pay attention to him. It is the story that is the focus!

I have considered giving the book two rather than three stars. I have stuck with three because the topic on which the book focuses is important. How can people of different cultures living together be brought to work together for their common good? How does one break down long existing barriers? ...more

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