Discourse of "Desire" in 'The Diviners'

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer discusses that in Margaret Laurence's 1975 novel 'The Diviners', desire becomes a vehicle of feminist and personal liberation for the middle-aged protagonist, Morag Gunn. The writer notes that more than anything, Morag desires to find a true, rather than a false identity. The writer maintains that it is not the content of her work, but Margaret Laurence's wisdom, mixed with irony and humor, that brings insight to the reader. The writer concludes that the author writes in favor of a mature decision to cease to yearn for external change, and to satisfy one's desire through internal reflection.

From the Paper:

"But it is not movement that gives her peace. Rather it is actively seeking peaceful solitude within, not finding elevated social status or fulfillment in her marital or extramarital relationships. Changing her external geography is not a complete form of self-actualization for the protagonist. The novel stresses that the liberating power of desire is not only found in sexuality or a change of place for a woman, but simply a desire to achieve a complete sense of identity and selfhood in solitude can be just as empowering.
"Morag's desire for authentic selfhood shows her continually wrestling with what society construes as status, and what she believes has real worth and merit. For example, initially, Morag sought her self-actualization through her desire to experience life outside of a provincial town and outside of a life limited by education. But this mode of liberation became stifling because of the relationship she had with her husband, even though he taught at a university. She was still constrained by feelings of inferiority and a sense that she was not living her own life."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Laurence, Margaret. The Diviners. Toronto and New York: Bantam, 1975. Reprinted by The University of Chicago Press, 1993.
• Laurence, Margaret. The Stone Angel. New York: McClellan & Stewart, 2004.
• McMillan, Eric. "The Greatest Literature of All Time: The Diviners." Greatest Literature of All Time. 2004. 9 Aug 2007. http://www.editoreric.com/greatlit/books/Diviners.html
• McCallum, Pamela. "Communication and History: Themes in Lawrence and Innis."Canadian Literature. 3(1).1978. 9 Aug 2007. http://www.lib.unb.ca/Texts/SCL/bin/get.cgi?directory=vol3_1/&filename=McCallum.htm
• Thomas, Alan. Review of "River of Now and Then: Margaret Laurence's The Diviners." A Reviewing Journal of Canadian Materials for Young People. (22)4. Sept 1994. 9 Aug 2007. http://www.umanitoba.ca/cm/cmarchive/vol22no4/river.html

More papers on Discourse of "Desire" in 'The Diviners':

• Book Review # 119163 : "The Role of Capitalism in "The Jungle"
• Analytical Essay # 140795 : "The Symbolism of Rings in "The Merchant of Venice"
• Analytical Essay # 118902 : "Portrayal of Women in "The Iliad "

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: