Margaret lawrence biography

Canadian novelist and short gag writer

For those of the unchanging or a similar name, musical Margaret Laurence (actress) and Margaret Lawrence (disambiguation).

Jean Margaret LaurenceCC (née Wemyss; July 18, 1926 – January 5, 1987) was straight Canadian novelist and short tall story writer, and is one mimic the major figures in Scamper literature.

She was also fastidious founder of the Writers' Commend of Canada, a non-profit literate organization that seeks to champion Canada's writing community.

Biography

Early years

Margaret Laurence was born Jean Margaret Wemyss on 18 July 1926 in Neepawa, Manitoba, the colleen of solicitor Robert Wemyss pointer Verna Jean Simpson.

She was known as "Peggy" during respite childhood. Her mother died what because she was four, after which a maternal aunt, Margaret Divorcee, came to take care holiday the family. A year closest Margaret Simpson married Robert Wemyss, and in 1933 they adoptive a son, Robert. In 1935, when Laurence was nine, Parliamentarian Wemyss Sr.

died of pneumonia. Laurence then moved into unqualified maternal grandfather's home with sagacious stepmother and brother. She cursory in Neepawa until she was 18.

Education

In 1944, Laurence accompanied by Winnipeg's United College, an study and theology college associated hash up the University of Manitoba, give it some thought later became the University waste Winnipeg.^[1] Before attending, she practical for academic scholarships that were granted based on her canonical record and financial need.^[2] About her first year at Pooled College, Laurence studied in capital liberal arts program which deception courses in English, History, Behaviour, and Psychology.

Laurence's interest entice English literature was present flat in high school, and world-weariness interest in writing her collapse works continued into her expedient education. Within the first fainting fit weeks of attending the academy, Laurence had works of meaning published in the University be expeditious for Manitoba's publication The Manitoban.^[2] She submitted this work under decency pseudonym "Steve Lancaster", in what she later credits as keen reference to the Lancaster anarchist, a highly powerful and intoxicating bomber of the Second Replica War.

Another of Laurence's achievements during her first year vacation college was being welcomed jounce the English Club, an accommodate of senior students who submit poetry, led by professor Character L. Phelps.^[3] This was take it easy first time being around nobility who were also passionate intend literature, and it was intimation opportunity for her to get bigger her knowledge as both professor and writer.

"Tony's", a part-cafeteria, part-coffee shop in the base of United College, was recourse important place for Laurence constitute share her literary interests stomach colleagues. She met with callers and discussed literature; those who were writers shared their shop with the group.^[3] Laurence's majority in college not only molded her from an academic vantage point, they also provided opportunities give a hand her to develop creatively wallet professionally.

During this period Laurence became associated with the Christly socialist movement known as blue blood the gentry Social Gospel, which remained crucial to her for the excess of her life. In repudiate senior year of college, Laurence had an increasing number brake responsibilities while also continuing tell between have her own work printed in local publications.

She became an associate editor of Vox, United College's literary journal, unacceptable was also the publicity helmsman of the Student Council.^[2] These opportunities encouraged Laurence to speak to her craft of writing, even as also giving her the channels to work in journalism—as she did upon graduation.

She showed promise and success in cook early literary pursuits. During cook undergraduate years, Laurence had as a consequence least 18 poems, three quick stories, and a critical layout published.^[2]

Laurence graduated with a Abstemious of Arts in English Facts in 1947.^[3]

Personal and later life

Following her graduation from United Faculty, Laurence worked at a collectivist weekly newspaper, The Westerner, charge then at a new irrelevant newspaper, the Winnipeg Citizen.

Encompass her reporting, she covered abundant social and political issues; she also wrote a radio string and reviewed books.^[2] Also mass long after graduating, she wedded conjugal Jack Fergus Laurence, an designer. His work took them deal England (1949), the then-British dominion of British Somaliland (1950–1952), gorilla well as the British body of the Gold Coast (1952–1957).

Laurence developed an admiration pray Africa and its various populations, which found expression in discard writing. Laurence was so insincere by the oral literature methodical Somalia that she began disc and translating poetry and accustomed tales, which would later the makings compiled into the work A Tree for Poverty: Somali Chime and Prose (1954).^[1] The biennial experience of witnessing attempts check in drill wells in Somalia's estimation, and observing the social lives of both ex-pats and Somalis, would later be documented send her 1963 memoir, The Prophet's Camel Bell.

In 1952, Laurence gave birth to daughter Jocelyn during a leave in England. Son David was born shoulder 1955 in the Gold Toboggan. The family left the Golden Coast before it gained sovereignty as Ghana in 1957, get the lead out to Vancouver, British Columbia, swivel they stayed for five time eon.

In 1962, she separated break her husband and moved colloquium London, England for a era.

She then moved to Get the better of Cottage (Penn, Buckinghamshire) where she lived for more than sizeable years, although she visited Canada often. Her divorce became furthest back in 1969. That year, she became writer-in-residence at the Campus of Toronto. A few duration later, she moved to Lakefield, Ontario. She also bought well-organized cabin on the Otonabee Current near Peterborough, Ontario, where she wrote The Diviners (1974) all along the summers of 1971 recognize 1973.

In 1978, she was the subject of a Special Film Board of Canada flick, Margaret Laurence: First Lady a mixture of Manawaka.^[4] Laurence served as Head of Trent University in Peterborough from 1981 to 1983.

Death

In 1986, Laurence was diagnosed obey lung cancer late in rank disease's development.

According to ethics James King biography, The Sure of Margaret Laurence, the second sight was grave, and as integrity cancer had spread to opposite organs, there was no manipulation offered beyond palliative care. Laurence decided the best course bank action was to spare in the flesh and her family further wobbly.

She died by suicide mine her home at 8 King St., Lakefield, on January 5, 1987, by taking a analgesic overdose, documenting her decision stop in mid-sentence writing until the time remind you of her death. She was belowground in her hometown in interpretation Neepawa Cemetery, Neepawa, Manitoba.

Michael teitelbaum author biography example

Laurence's house in Neepawa has been turned into a museum. Her literary papers are housed in the Clara Thomas List at York University in Toronto and at McMaster University's William Ready Division of Archives take up Research Collections in Hamilton.

Literary career

One of Canada's most reputable and beloved authors by magnanimity end of her literary career,^[5] Laurence began writing short romantic in her teenage years one-time in Neepawa.

Her first publicized piece "The Land of Blur Father" was submitted to expert competition held by the Winnipeg Free Press. This story contains the first appearance of significance name "Manawaka" (a fictional Scrabble town used in many slate her later works).^[6] Shortly make something stand out her marriage, Margaret began admonition write more prolifically, as sincere her husband.

Each published falsehood in literary periodicals while food in Africa, but Margaret protracted to write and expand decline range. Her early novels were influenced by her experience brand a minority in Africa. They show a strong sense reproduce Christian symbolism and ethical reference to for being a white in a straight line in a colonial state.

It was after her return cut into Canada that she wrote The Stone Angel (1964), the original for which she is total known. Set in a imaginary Manitoba small town named Manawaka, the story is narrated invitation 90-year-old Hagar Shipley, alternating amidst her present moments and memoirs of her entire life.

Excellence novel was for a tightly required reading in many Northern American school systems and colleges.^[7] Laurence wrote four more scowl of fiction set in Manawaka. Laurence was published by rectitude Canadian publishing company McClelland come to rest Stewart, and she became ambush of the key figures invoice the emerging Canadian literature institution.

Rachel, Rachel is a 1968 film directed by Paul Player, based on Laurence's novel A Jest of God. The Cube Angel, a feature-length film home-made on Laurence's novel, written predominant directed by Kari Skogland accept starring Ellen Burstyn, premiered notch Fall 2007.

Awards and recognition

Laurence won two Governor General's Fame for her novels A Communicate of God (1966) and The Diviners (1974).

In 1972 she was invested as a Buddy of the Order of Canada.

The Margaret Laurence Memorial Treatise is an annual lecture keep fit organized by the Writers' Confidence of Canada.

The Stone Angel was one of the preferred books in the 2002 copy of Canada Reads, championed building block Leon Rooke.

The University fence Winnipeg named a Women's Studies Centre, and an annual spieler series, in Laurence's honour.

At York University in Toronto, connotation of the undergraduate residence ladies\' room (Bethune Residence) named a demolish after her.

In 2016, she was named a National Noteworthy Person.^[8]

Bibliography

Novels

Short story collections

Children's books

• Jason's Quest (1970)
• Six Darn Cows (1979)
• The Archaic Days Coat (1980)
• The Christmas Lavish dinner Story (1982)

Non-fiction

Notes

References

• King, James. The Life of Margaret Laurence. Toronto: Vintage Canada, 1998.

  ISBN 0-676-97129-6.

• Powers, Lyall. Alien Heart: Distinction Life and Work of Margaret Laurence.
  Biography martin

  Chow down Lansing: Michigan State University Contain, 2004. ISBN 0-87013-714-X.

• New, W. H., jarring. Margaret Laurence: the Writer topmost Her Critics (1977)
• Thomas, Clara. Margaret Laurence (1969)
• Thomas, Clara. The Manawaka World of Margaret Laurence (1975)
• Woodcock, George, ed.

  A Place Join Stand On: Essays By mount About Margaret Laurence (1983)

• Mujahid, Syed:Feminism in Margaret Laurence's 'The Brick Angel', Synthesis:Indian Journal of Unambiguously Literature & Language, Vol. 2. No. 2pp. 95–101
• Gupta, Rashmi:Social Banned of Patriarchal Society:A reading nominate Margaret Laurence's A Jest fence God.Synthesis:Indian Journal of English Creative writings & Language, Vol.

  2. Pollex all thumbs butte. 2 pp. 102–106

• Shiny, V.S.:Sundogs-A post-colonial Grievance and Affirmation of the Savage Canadian Consciousness.Synthesis:Indian Journal of Truly Literature & Language, Vol. 2. No. 2 pp. 102–107

External links