St. Edward's Echo (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 4, No. 2, Ed. 1, November 1922 Page: 10 of 20
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: St. Edward’s University Newspaper Collection and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the St. Edward’s University.
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8
ST. EDWARD’S ECHO
WITH OUR BOOKLOVERS
John C. Walsh, ’26.
k
Maria Chapdelaine: The story of Maria Cliapdelaine is
so interesting that it is with regret one is forced to lay the
book aside until he has finished the last chapter. Based on
primitive life in an undeveloped county, the probability of
the story is one of its strongest points. The beauty and
simplicity of the work hold a rare charm for the jaded
emotions of the present day reader. The characters are so
clearly defined that no confusion can possibly arise regarding
them, and their actions are so recorded that the story pro-
gresses with remarkable smoothness. The sequence of events
carries the reader forward constantly, and there are no en-
ticing side trails to distract his attention from the central
theme. The climax is approached in such an even, unhurried
way that one does not realize how his interest has been
aroused until the end comes, and Maria decides to stay among
her own people. The author leads up to important events
by slightly forecasting them or suggesting their inevitability.
For example—Maria, in thinking of what may happen were
she to choose to go to the States, realizes that there she would
be among a strange people in a strange land, a people whose
manners and customs must be at variance with her own, and
a country where her ways must be the cause of embarrassment
and of unhappiness to herself: then she contrasts the charms
of life in the open, at home with her own people. In this
way the author prepares the reader for her final decision
to remain in her natural environment. I would not say that
this decision gives the story an unhappy ending; I would
say rather that it is pathetic. I would have preferred an-
other ending; but as this would have entailed changing at
least one-half of the book, so superbly is the plot developed,
I find it rather difficult to explain my preference. The
beauty of the story lies in the masterly presentation of
conditions and characters, for it is a vivid and sincere por-
trayal of life in the Canadian wilderness.
The heroine, Maria Chapdelaine, is a simple-hearted, clean-
minded, and loving child of nature. The author evidently
esteems a person who is a Christian in the real sense of
the word, one who is nature-loving, truthful, and true to
one’s self; and Maria Chapdelaine is a type of the noblest
womanhood.
The story is told in an exceptionally clear style, beautiful
in its simplicity, and rare in its charm. The fluent weaving
of words and phrases makes for a texture of exceeding fine-
ness, silky yet strong. There is little humor, and much that
is appealing in its pathos. The scene at the deathbed of
Maria’s mother evidences the author’s delicate restraint:
“Ah! the assurance, the comfort of the divine promise which
dispels the awful mists of death ! While the priest performed
the sacred rites, and his low words mingled with the sighs
of the dying woman, Samuel Chapdelaine and his children
were praying with bended heads; in some sort consoled, re-
leased from anxiousness and doubt, confident that a sure
pact was then concluding with the Almighty for the blue
skies of Paradise spangled with stars of gold as a rightful
heritage.” Maria receivs word that her betrothed has per-
ished in the snows while he was on his way to see her: ‘ ‘ She
stood there motionless, with arms hanging piteously by her
side, a stricken figure of grief; then a sudden anguish yet
keener and more unbearable seized upon her—” Pathos is
undoubtedly the chord upon which the author most often
lingers. An example of his clear, direct, animated, brilliant
and beautiful style is to be found in the following passage:
“The snow lay deep upon road and fields, for the April sun
was powerless to send warmth through the gray clouds, and
the heavy spring rains were yet to come. This chill and uni-
versal white, the humblesness of the wooden church and the
wooden houses scattered along the road, the gloomy forest
edging so close that it seemed to threaten, these all spoke
of a harsh existence in a stern land. But as the men and
boys passed through the doorway and gathered in knots on
the broad steps, their cheery salutations, the chaff flung from
group to group, the continual interchange of talk, merry or
sober, at once disclosed the unquenchable joyousness of a
people ever filled with laughter and good humour.”
The author’s choice of words shows his extreme care that
he may never be misunderstood. The dialect of small Cana-
dian settlements is used in all conversation. It is not diffi-
cult to understand and serves to make the characters appear
more real. These conversations impress one as being true
and spontaneous utterances Throughout the book, the dic-
tion is simple, vigorous and picturesque. The author’s vo-
cabulary is copious to a marked degree, as lie frequently
repeats ideas clothed in different words, and yet at all times
there is no mistaking his meaning. The harmonious flow of
words, phrases and clauses is always smooth and restful, for
never does he overreach himself to produce an effect.
The author must have been a man of an earnest, sympa-
thetic, broad-minded and philanthropic character, a man of
lofty ideals, patriotic almost to a fault, and a devout wor-
shipper of God. His faith is shown in the phrase: “Ah!
the assurance, the comfort of the divine promise which
dispels the awful mists of death!” His devotion to his
country is revealed in the passage: “Within these limits
(the boundaries of the Province of Quebec) all we brought
with us, our faith, our tongue, our virtues, our very weak-
nesses are henceforth hallowed things which no hand may
touch, which shall endure to the end.” He draws his char-
acters with bold, masterly strokes:' “He stands before her
tall and strong, bold of eye, his face bronzed with sun and
snow glare.” Louis Iiemon, the author, undoubtedly pos-
sessed a broad experience of life and an intimate acquain-
tance with the frontier and the city, with the new and the
old world. And his descriptions of nature are masterpieces
of word-painting. He is a man I would assuredly like to
know.
-O-
Fish: What time do you want me to be back tonight?
Prefect: Anytime at all, provided you are here to the
minute.
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St. Edward's Echo (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 4, No. 2, Ed. 1, November 1922, newspaper, November 1922; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth891786/m1/10/?q=%22United+States+-+Texas+-+Travis+County+-+Austin%22: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting St. Edward’s University.