Kroetsch, Robert. Selections from his collection The Lovely Treachery of Words: Essays Selected and New “Disunity as Unity: A Canadian Strategy"-CORE VIII CANADIAN STUDIES

 Unit – V

Kroetsch, Robert. Selections from his collection The Lovely Treachery of Words: Essays Selected and New “Disunity as Unity: A Canadian Strategy"

Robert Kroetsch's essay **"Disunity as Unity: A Canadian Strategy"**, from his collection *The Lovely Treachery of Words: Essays Selected and New* (1989), explores the theme of fragmentation in Canadian literature, arguing that disunity is not a weakness but a defining strength of Canadian writing. Kroetsch suggests that Canada’s geographical, cultural, and linguistic diversity has shaped its literature, creating a fragmented, nonlinear narrative structure that resists cohesive national identity.

    1. **Introduction: Fragmentation in Canadian Literature**

   - Kroetsch begins by addressing the idea that Canada, unlike the U.S. or Britain, does not have a unified cultural or literary identity. Instead, its literature reflects the fragmented nature of the nation itself, characterized by diverse landscapes, cultures, and languages.

   - He points out that while Canadian writers may struggle with this lack of unity, they also turn it into a unique strength. Disunity becomes a productive tension that allows for more diverse and experimental forms of writing.

    2. **Postmodernism and Canadian Identity**

   - Kroetsch links Canadian literature to postmodernism, emphasizing how Canadian writers often subvert traditional narrative forms. Postmodernism’s characteristic play with form, fragmentation, and skepticism towards grand narratives aligns with Canada’s disunified sense of identity.

   - In contrast to the idea of a cohesive nation-state narrative, Canadian authors often present local, regional, and individualized stories that resist the pressures of a unified national narrative.

    3. **The Role of Landscape**

   - The vast and often harsh Canadian landscape plays a critical role in shaping the themes of disunity in its literature. Kroetsch suggests that the wilderness, especially the prairies and northern territories, creates a sense of isolation, which is reflected in fragmented narratives that focus on survival and the experience of distance.

   - Writers like Kroetsch often use the landscape as a metaphor for the challenges of constructing a national identity, where vast distances and diverse environments prevent a simple or unified vision of Canada.

    4. **Language and Multiculturalism**

   - Language plays a crucial role in Canadian disunity. Canada’s bilingualism (English and French) and multiculturalism add layers of complexity to its literary identity. Kroetsch highlights that instead of trying to resolve these linguistic and cultural differences into one voice, Canadian literature embraces these divisions as part of its fabric.

   - This disunity in language mirrors the larger cultural fragmentation and is reflected in how Canadian writers approach themes of storytelling, myth-making, and narrative structure.

    5. **Disunity as an Aesthetic Strategy**

   - Kroetsch argues that Canadian writers use disunity as an aesthetic strategy, consciously breaking with traditional forms of unity to create works that reflect the complexity of Canadian identity. Instead of striving for coherence or a singular narrative voice, they adopt fractured, multiple perspectives to tell stories that resonate with the nation’s diverse realities.

   - This strategy of fragmentation allows for a more nuanced exploration of the Canadian experience, embracing marginal voices and stories that challenge mainstream narratives.

    6. **The Influence of Regionalism**

   - Regionalism is a major force in Canadian literature, and Kroetsch asserts that each region of Canada tells its own story. Writers from different parts of the country draw from their unique local experiences, creating a mosaic of stories rather than a singular national narrative. This regional diversity reinforces the idea of disunity as a defining characteristic of Canadian writing.

    7. **Conclusion: The Power of Disunity**

   - Kroetsch concludes that disunity should not be seen as a limitation but as a powerful tool for Canadian writers. By rejecting the pressure to conform to a single narrative or identity, Canadian literature offers a rich and varied landscape of stories that reflect the complexity and multiplicity of Canadian life.

   - Disunity, rather than being a failure of coherence, becomes a strategy for embracing the diversity and richness of the Canadian experience.

### Conclusion:

In “Disunity as Unity: A Canadian Strategy,” Robert Kroetsch highlights how fragmentation, diversity, and disunity are not obstacles but strengths in Canadian literature. Through an embrace of postmodernism, multiculturalism, and regionalism, Canadian writers have turned the nation’s fragmented identity into an innovative and powerful narrative strategy.

This essay offers a valuable perspective for understanding Canadian literature’s departure from traditional models of national identity and its embrace of multiplicity, regionalism, and postmodernism. It’s particularly useful for discussions of postmodern Canadian literature, as it helps explain why Canadian narratives often resist unified or linear storytelling in favor of fragmented, multi-voiced texts.