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CANADIAN LANDSCAPES/ PAYSAGES CANADIENS
280). Hagar’s ensuing sense of indebtedness compels her to transcend self-cen¬
tredness and physical frailty and offer Sandra assistance, which Davis sees as
“a reparative moment” resonating through generations (88-89). Hagar’s story
thus extends beyond her lifetime, weaving together ancestral stories in an
attempt to reconcile with the complicated legacies of the past.
In The Diviners, Laurence deepens her exploration of the house as a symbol
of identity and belonging and examines the intergenerational dynamics between
the Pioneer settlers and their descendants. Laurence portrays the rebellion of
her generation’s women, who stand in stark contrast with their forebears, who
were constrained by entrenched cultural and societal norms. Nonetheless, she
also acknowledges the remarkable resilience demonstrated by the Pioneer
settler women when confronted with the challenges of the Canadian wilderness.
Upon Morag’s return from her transformative journey to Scotland, she
relocates to a century-old cabin by the river, fully embracing life in the wilder¬
ness. Seeking guidance, Morag turns to Catharine Parr Traill’s Canadian
Settlers’ Guide, a guidebook on the life of settlers published in the middle of
the 19" century. Traill embodies one of the essential Canadian myths of a
“hardy settler woman living a tough life in great hardship, walking through
the snow to help sick neighbours, ploughing, raising children and suffering
from the cold and isolation with grit and determination” (Wisker 256). Morag
regards Traill as a mentor and engages in mental debates with her. Initially,
Morag holds Traill in high esteem, perceiving her as an indisputable authority.
However, as she fails to match Traill’s level of competence, Morag gradually
grows weary of the archetypal ideal of the hard-working Pioneer woman that
Traill represents. Morag’s evolving perspective leads her to realize that despite
their remarkable competence, the early settler women were also victims of
their circumstances, forced to persevere amidst harsh conditions. Morag
reflects on the toll these hardships took on them, pondering how many of those
“women went mad? Loneliness, isolation, strain, despair, overwork, fear. Out
there, the bush. In here, a silent worried work-sodden man, squalling brats”
(Laurence, The Diviners 77-78). These introspective moments prompt Morag
to reconcile with the Pioneer Woman archetype, embracing not only the Pio¬
neer Woman’s strength and endurance but also recognizing that she is no
longer a threatening ideal. Instead, the Pioneer Woman becomes a symbol of
resilience and adaptability, reflecting the enduring spirit of the women who
came before her.
Laurence recurrently juxtaposes the ancestral houses of Manawaka’s wealth¬
iest and poorest residents, the settlers and the Métis, represented by the Ton¬
nerre family, highlighting the stark contrasts of their histories and backgrounds.
The first settlers, with their European perceptions and traditions, encountered
a landscape that did not always conform to their established norms. In contrast,
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