Canadian Canons: Essays in Literary Value

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

“Which works of Canadian literature are the most important? What makes
them valuable? And who decides?” Those are the questions asked and
answered in this valuable collection of essays—essays dealing with
just why and how the literature studied at universities (or talked about
by academics) have become “canonized,” and why we should or should
not pay attention to such canons. The essays themselves lead us
logically through what is a very complicated and problematical set of
issues. Leon Surette, in “Creating the Canadian Canon,” very ably
introduces us to the principles that have governed canon-formation;
Dermot McCarthy considers “Early Canadian Literary History and the
Function of a Canon”; and from then on, in 10 other fascinating
essays, we are asked to consider the question of canon as it relates to
feminism, a national theatre, Quebec literature, postmodernism, and the
Canadian novel.

One of the conclusions emerging from these essays is that “it is a
small group that makes decision about what books are fit for
canonization: university teachers of English who specialize or dabble in
Canadian literature.” And this, I think, points to the major weakness
of this book. Taking nothing from the importance of the essays that are
here, it seems that not enough attention has been paid to the historical
development of a Canadian canon—perhaps anthologists have been more
responsible for canonization than “teachers” (who, against their
will, have been stuck with certain texts). The publishing industry also
needs to be examined, as do many other social factors not considered by
these writers. But perhaps that is material for yet another study of the
same subject. We are happy to have this one to prompt us to consider
those other possibilities.