Ephemeral identity in Eden Robinson’s Monkey Beach
Date
2011
Authors
Purhar, Sonu
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Publisher
Illumine
Abstract
Eden Robinson’s Monkey Beach addresses issues related to race, historic oppression, and the clash between cultures in a coming-of-age ghost story set in the Haisla community of Kitimaat, British Columbia. Literary scholars have discussed the difficulty of the novel’s heroine, Lisamarie Hill, in reconciling her First Nations and West Coast identities, particularly when she acquires the unique ability to converse with the spirit world; however, the implications of this ability within both her inherited and adopted cultures have largely been ignored. In the context of her Haisla heritage Lisamarie’s powers are shamanistic, imbuing her with great responsibility and control within her band’s society–yet she cannot embrace her gift within the contemporary Eurocentric society that refuses to accept its existence. Though Lisamarie eventually gains control over her powers, the historic and continued oppression of her culture by West Coast society challenges her capability to maintain this connection in the modern world.
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Citation
Purhar, S. (2011). Ephemeral identity in Eden Robinson’s Monkey Beach. Illumine, 10(1), 36–52. https://doi.org/10.18357/illumine101201110725