Introducing Hugh MacLennan's Two Solitudes: A Reader's Guide

R.G. Moyles is a professor of English at the University of Alberta.

Leith begins her study in a daring manner. MacLennan’s novel, she
asserts, though admirably ambitious, “falls short of success. . . .
Like Icarus, MacLennan is trying for the sun when his wings fail him. We
may think him foolish and wrong-headed, we may know him doomed, but we
have to marvel at his daring.” There is something appealing about such
honesty—an honesty that makes this study, though intended as a kind of
student guide, a very interesting, even provocative, approach to reading
what is “a Canadian institution.” Leith goes on to show that the
failure is one of theme, not of style—that MacLennan was essentially
too idealistic, or perhaps unrealistic, in his portrayal of what
constituted the “two solitudes”; that it is not now (though it might
once have been) a convincing novel. MacLennan’s “descriptive
skills,” however, are considerable, and for this and his daring in
even writing about such a controversial issue he should be praised.

All in all, this is a fine introduction to Two Solitudes, which is
still widely studied (if not popularly read). It is informative for the
beginner—skillfully examining MacLennan’s use of language and
characterization—and instructive for the seasoned literary
critic—offering a fresh assessment with valuable insights. If there is
one fault, it lies in the book’s overall construction. There are too
many brief subdivisions, and no one idea is developed as fully as it
should be. It may be that Canadian readers have short attention spans,
but surely they are not as short as this study would suggest.