Table of ContentsIntroductionDiscussionWorks CitedIntroductionIt is widely accepted that the historical events and encounters of a nation shape the state spirit and attitudes of individuals belonging to this particular community. . There are many such examples, where groups of people behave differently depending on the experiences they have had over time, the conditions they have lived in, or the resources they have at their disposal. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay To find such examples, one only needs to open a history textbook and pay close attention to the conduct of the members of European countries, as opposed to those of Asia, Africa or America. Likewise, depending on the circumstances, two opposing roles are almost always assumed by individuals, communities and countries: the role of dominator and that of victim. Although they may change form over time, which is not always visible to the naked eye, the aforementioned roles retain their essence and exert their influence on those to whom they are assigned. Questioning the role of literature in relation to the identity of a person, as well as that of a nation and its historical course, we can suggest that it strives to paint in words the image of the inner and outer world of the author, transformed into his characters, at a given moment. In addition to conveying certain emotions and possibly raising certain questions, literature also aims to subtly describe the effect of what we call history on different people, based on their life experiences, and to bring readers together through mutual understanding. ED Blodgett even suggests that “(literary history) seeks either to construct or to rewrite the feeling of a nation. » Focusing on Canadian literature, this article aims to take into consideration Margaret Atwood's argument in her Theme Guide, Survival, and analyze and argue the idea that the "Canadianness" of literature, the very essence of this literature, is, in fact, the acceptance and acceptance of the role of victim; asserting one's truth, initiating and completing the process of self-discovery and healing, as well as drawing attention to the state of affairs and possible threats that await, these are some of the processes accomplished through this particular process, illustrated in the works of some of the most important contemporary Canadian writers.DiscussionIn his book Survival, Atwood starts from the suggestive idea that "each country or culture has within it a single unifying and informing symbol", giving as examples the Border in the case of America. , and the island in the case of England. This idea is particularly relevant given Frederick J. Turner's text, The Significance of the Frontier in American History, which argues not only for the relevance of the frontier as a symbol, but also that it is at the heart of the American spirit and values, going so far as to assert that "the result is that the American intellect owes its striking characteristics to the frontier." » As this symbol extends to aspects of everyday life, it is also reflected in literature, given some of the most important American literary works, themes, and motifs, the same case easily applying to the symbol of England, its history and its literature. Thus, Atwood's argument becomes strong and plausible. After introducing the symbol of Canada as thesurvival, Atwood goes on to mention the two types of survival that Canadians have faced throughout history, namely "mere survival" and "cultural survival." . The second, with reference to the cultural aspect, introduces one of the most important subjects treated in Canadian literature, arising from the historical existence of the indigenous people as the first to inherit the Canadian land. Also the first to experience the role of victim in relation to foreigners who arrived later but still claimed the land, it is important to understand that the art of storytelling has always played an important role in indigenous communities, representing the way in which their history has been preserved and their traditions have been passed down to subsequent generations. On the other hand, outside of their group, history seems to have silenced these communities, given historical events where, most often, they played the role of the oppressed. However, Indigenous Canadians, in accepting and embracing their role as victims of history, have turned to literature to rediscover and preserve their identity, while presenting their own narrative of history to the world. One of these writers is Thomas King. Two of his short stories, One Good Story, That One and A Coyote Columbus Story, each have their own focus, both built around the symbol of survival, but not directly. The oral component of the two stories is powerful since the advantage of the setting and narration is attributed to a native, including elements unknown to the reader of “common” origin. Thus, in the first story, the role of the victim is assumed in a way that breaks stereotypes and reverses perspectives. When the narrator receives a visit from the three men, in a characteristic style and approach, he does not deliver what is expected of him, namely a rather stereotypical story, difficult to understand by the uninitiated reader, about traditions and indigenous beliefs; on the contrary, he takes the opportunity to "mock" the religious beliefs of the three white people, by telling a story about "Ah-damn and the evening". Extraneous elements are included indirectly, and the coyote tracks mentioned at the end represent one of them. Since the coyote is known to represent the trickster, it offers the key to understanding the text and its purpose. Even though in the current story the natives were the victims of the white men, even though in the story the narrator is also surrounded and expected to provide a satisfying and exotic narrative, through words he manages to become a “creative non-victim”. , the fourth stage of the victim survival process described by Margaret Atwood. The narrator is no longer simply a victim, but the designer of an alternative version of historical events. The style of narration remains rather confusing, characteristic of Native American storytelling, with the writer conveying the cultural heritage of Native Americans, supported by the use of simple English. Along with the writing style, satire is a means used by Thomas King in these short stories to convey meaning and deliver a message. In the second text, on the other hand, the coyote is no longer the bearer of a possible interpretation, but a character in a story with an apparently childish approach. The story is about the subjectivity of history presented from a unique perspective, which recalls the words of W. Churchill "History is written by the victors." Despite the playful retelling of real historical events in a way that includes Coyote, the symbolic survival and assumed role of the victim suggested in the text draws attention to the real state of historical events, through a simple idea that the narrator shares in response to "Coyote's perplexed question: “But if Christopher Columbus didn't find America and he didn't find the Indians, who found these things? These things were never lost, I said. These things have always been there. particular subject. Given the tumultuous historical development of Canada as we know it today, the role of the victim has not been and to this day is not attributed solely to minorities. The confusion surrounding the identity of Canadians as a nation and the oppression that the Canadian people have faced in different ways over time have made the process of perpetual survival what the border represents to Americans. Today. The relationship between the oppressor and the oppressed is present and explored even in some of the most popular works of contemporary Canadian literature, which many would agree to call Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale and the short stories of Nobel laureate Alice Munro (also another important work of Canadian literature worth mentioning is Life of Pi by Yann Martel). Alice Munro's Royal Beatings draws its symbolic act of survival from the autobiographical elements of the author's life. By focusing on the relationships between Rose, the main character, her stepmother Flo, the other important character in the text, her father and the other actors in the story, the writing process functions in this case as a means to understand and accept past events that are reduced to a smaller scale, affecting not a group of people, but a single individual. The historical role of the victim over the decades is reflected in a simple act of domestic violence, firmly embedded in the structure of a complex narrative. In the case of this short story, the role of the victim is not only attributed to Rose, but to almost all the characters present; Flo, victim of her choice to marry Rose's father and "sacrifice" herself, victim of her own ignorance, Becky and Robert Tyde, victims of a violent father, Rose herself, victim of violence and lack of communication.A A line from the text describing Rose's point of view could convey a relevant interpretation of the role of the victim and her survival: “The people present cannot adapt to the past. » To survive, as the text illustrates, you must accept and assume your role, you must evolve, adapt and live in the given circumstances. The scene with Rose's royal beating and its aftermath illustrates the process of denial, acceptance, blame, assumption, and ultimately creative escape. While Royal Beatings explores an intimate part of the act of survival in the past in relation to the present, The Handmaid's Tale, the dystopian novel turned popular television series, addresses, despite its nature, the survival of the victim in a world future and possible. Not only that, but it also sheds light on the place of women in today's society and the possible threats posed by male domination. In the case of Offred and the other handmaids, the role of the victim is brutal, materialized by their objectification. They no longer have a name (being called by the name of their “owner”), they must all wear the same clothes, they no longer decide the sexual acts they perform, nor the pregnancy they must achieve. aspects of several types of domination, from physical to psychic and extending to the type involving feelings like love, Atwood's novel is the perfect example proving her theory of the essence of Canadian literature. An archetypal victim placed in the future, Offred struggles to save what remains of her identity through her reflections, conveying Atwood's own insight into the process and importance of writing: "Maybe I write for no one. Perhaps for the same person for whom 2019.