Ulyssean traces in postmodern canadian epics: Timothy Findley's The wars and France Daigle's Pour sûr

Abstract

"This project investigates the traces of structure and content deriving from James Joyce's modern epic, Ulysses (1922), found within Timothy Findley's The Wars (1977) and France Daigle's Pour sûr (2011), two postmodern Canadian novels. The Wars tells the story of a young officer, Robert Ross, and his journeys during World War I, which culminate in an act of treachery as Ross murders his captain for failing to save the horses trapped in a nearby barn during a shelling. Meanwhile, Pour sûr illustrates the various happenings and relationships in the Francophone Acadian community of Moncton, New Brunswick. Ultimately, this project compares Ulyssean traces present in both novels, such as recurring themes and images, as well as structural style, to explain core differences not only between early and contemporary Canadian postmodernism, but also between English-Canadian and Acadian-French identities."--Abstract.