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20 Most Important Canadian Writers for UGC NET JRF English and GATE English

For UGC NET JRF English, Canadian literature is a key area, and certain writers are especially important due to their influence and the frequency with which they appear in exam questions. This list provides detailed information about 20 essential Canadian authors, focusing on their significant works, key themes, important characters, plots, and chronological publication details relevant for your preparation.

1. Margaret Atwood

Born: November 18, 1939

Bio: Margaret Atwood is a prolific and highly acclaimed Canadian novelist, poet, literary critic, and environmental activist. She is a two-time Booker Prize winner and is known for her insightful exploration of themes such as feminism, dystopia, environmentalism, power, and identity.

Important Works & Details for UGC NET:

  • The Handmaid’s Tale (1985):
    • Genre: Dystopian novel, speculative fiction.
    • Setting: The Republic of Gilead, a totalitarian, Christian theocratic state in what was formerly the United States.
    • Characters: Offred (protagonist, a Handmaid), The Commander, Serena Joy (the Commander's wife), Moira (Offred's friend), Nick (a chauffeur/spy).
    • Plot: In a future with a rapidly declining birthrate, fertile women (Handmaids) are forced into sexual servitude to bear children for the ruling class. Offred narrates her life as a Handmaid, her memories of the past, and her struggle for survival and freedom in a society that brutally oppresses women.
    • Themes: Totalitarianism, feminism, gender roles, power, resistance, fertility, environmental degradation.
  • Alias Grace (1996):
    • Genre: Historical fiction, psychological novel.
    • Setting: 19th-century Canada.
    • Characters: Grace Marks (a domestic servant accused of murder), Dr. Simon Jordan (a psychologist attempting to understand Grace's mind), Nancy Montgomery, Thomas Kinnear.
    • Plot: Based on the true story of Grace Marks, a young domestic servant convicted of murdering her employer and his housekeeper in 1843. The novel explores the ambiguity of Grace's guilt or innocence through Dr. Jordan's interviews with her, delving into themes of memory, identity, class, and gender roles in Victorian society.
  • The Blind Assassin (2000):
    • Genre: Historical fiction, mystery, meta-fiction.
    • Awards: Booker Prize.
    • Plot: A complex narrative told through multiple layers, including the memoir of Iris Chase Griffen, a novel-within-a-novel titled "The Blind Assassin," and newspaper clippings. It tells the story of two sisters, Iris and Laura, and their entangled lives, secrets, and a tragic past involving forbidden love and a mysterious science fiction novel.
  • The Testaments (2019):
    • Genre: Dystopian novel, sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale.
    • Awards: Booker Prize (jointly with Bernardine Evaristo).
    • Plot: Set 15 years after the events of The Handmaid’s Tale, narrated by three women: Aunt Lydia, Agnes Jemima (a young woman growing up in Gilead), and Daisy (a young woman from Canada). It reveals secrets about Gilead's inner workings and the resistance against it.

Chronology of Important Works:

  • The Edible Woman (1969)
  • Surfacing (1972)
  • Lady Oracle (1976)
  • Life Before Man (1979)
  • Bodily Harm (1981)
  • The Handmaid’s Tale (1985)
  • Cat's Eye (1988)
  • The Robber Bride (1993)
  • Alias Grace (1996)
  • The Blind Assassin (2000)
  • Oryx and Crake (2003)
  • The Penelopiad (2005)
  • The Year of the Flood (2009)
  • MaddAddam (2013)
  • The Testaments (2019)

2. Alice Munro

Born: July 10, 1931

Bio: Alice Munro is a Canadian short story writer who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013. She is renowned for her distinctive style, often described as "psychological realism," and her ability to illuminate the complexities of human relationships and the subtleties of everyday life, particularly in rural Ontario.

Important Works & Details for UGC NET:

  • Lives of Girls and Women (1971):
    • Genre: Linked short stories (often considered a novel by some).
    • Characters: Del Jordan (protagonist, growing up in rural Ontario).
    • Plot: A collection of interconnected stories chronicling the coming-of-age of Del Jordan in the fictional small town of Jubilee, Ontario. It explores her relationships, sexual awakening, and intellectual development as she navigates the transition from girlhood to womanhood.
    • Themes: Female adolescence, small-town life, sexuality, education, memory, truth.
  • Who Do You Think You Are? (1978) / The Beggar Maid (US Title):
    • Genre: Short stories.
    • Awards: Governor General's Award.
    • Characters: Rose (protagonist of several stories), Flo (Rose's stepmother).
    • Plot: A cycle of stories following the life of Rose, from her humble beginnings in rural Ontario to her career as an actress and her experiences with love and loss. It explores themes of identity, social class, and the complexities of familial relationships.
  • Runaway (2004):
    • Genre: Short stories.
    • Awards: Giller Prize.
    • Plot: A collection of eight stories, many of which are interconnected through recurring characters or themes. The title story, "Runaway," features Carla, who contemplates leaving her husband. The stories often delve into the inner lives of women, their choices, regrets, and moments of quiet revelation.
    • Themes: Escape, domestic life, betrayal, secrets, love, aging.
  • Dear Life (2012):
    • Genre: Short stories.
    • Plot: Munro's final collection of short stories. The last four stories are overtly autobiographical, titled "Finale," and detail her early life. The collection showcases her characteristic themes of memory, family, and the passage of time, often set in rural Ontario.

Chronology of Important Works (Collections of Short Stories):

  • Dance of the Happy Shades (1968)
  • Lives of Girls and Women (1971)
  • Something I've Been Meaning to Tell You (1974)
  • Who Do You Think You Are? (1978) / The Beggar Maid (US Title)
  • The Moons of Jupiter (1982)
  • Progress of Love (1986)
  • Friend of My Youth (1990)
  • Open Secrets (1994)
  • The Love of a Good Woman (1998)
  • Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage (2001)
  • Runaway (2004)
  • The View from Castle Rock (2006)
  • Too Much Happiness (2009)
  • Dear Life (2012)

3. Michael Ondaatje

Born: September 12, 1943

Bio: Michael Ondaatje is a Sri Lankan-born Canadian novelist, poet, and documentary filmmaker. He is celebrated for his poetic prose, evocative imagery, and non-linear narratives that often blend history, memory, and fiction. He is best known for his novel *The English Patient*.

Important Works & Details for UGC NET:

  • The English Patient (1992):
    • Genre: Historical novel.
    • Awards: Booker Prize, Governor General's Award.
    • Setting: An abandoned villa in Italy during the final days of World War II.
    • Characters:
      • Count László de Almásy: The "English patient," a severely burned, anonymous man who is slowly revealed to be a Hungarian explorer.
      • Hana: A young, disillusioned Canadian Army nurse.
      • Kip (Kirpal Singh): An Indian Sikh sapper (bomb disposal expert) in the British Army.
      • Caravaggio: A Canadian thief and spy, disfigured during the war, seeking revenge and answers.
    • Plot: The novel centers on four characters who converge in an Italian villa. Almásy, the patient, is recovering from severe burns and shares his fragmented memories. Hana cares for him while grappling with her own trauma. Kip disarms bombs and builds a relationship with Hana. Caravaggio arrives, seeking to uncover Almásy's past. The narrative weaves together their individual stories, exploring themes of identity, memory, love, war, and colonialism.
    • Themes: Memory, identity (fluid and constructed), love, betrayal, the devastating effects of war, colonialism, the nature of knowledge.
  • Anil's Ghost (2000):
    • Genre: Historical novel, mystery.
    • Setting: Sri Lanka during its civil war.
    • Characters: Anil Tissera (a Sri Lankan-born forensic anthropologist), Sarath Diyasena (an archaeologist), Gamini Diyasena (Sarath's brother, a doctor).
    • Plot: Anil returns to her war-torn homeland as part of a human rights investigation. She uncovers a skeleton that suggests a deeper conspiracy within the conflict. The novel delves into the brutal realities of civil war, the search for truth, and the personal toll it takes on individuals.
    • Themes: Human rights, war, violence, memory, truth, identity, the political and personal.

Chronology of Important Works:

  • The Dainty Monsters (Poetry, 1967)
  • The Man with Seven Toes (Poetry, 1969)
  • The Collected Works of Billy the Kid: Left Handed Poems (Novel/Poetry, 1970)
  • Coming Through Slaughter (Novel, 1976)
  • There's a Trick with a Knife I'm Learning to Do: Poems 1973-1978 (Poetry, 1979)
  • Running in the Family (Memoir, 1982)
  • Secular Love (Poetry, 1984)
  • In the Skin of a Lion (Novel, 1987)
  • The English Patient (Novel, 1992)
  • Anil's Ghost (Novel, 2000)
  • Divisadero (Novel, 2007)
  • The Cat's Table (Novel, 2011)
  • Warlight (Novel, 2018)

4. Yann Martel

Born: June 25, 1963

Bio: Yann Martel is a Canadian author best known for his Booker Prize-winning novel *Life of Pi*. His works often incorporate elements of philosophy, religion, and fable, exploring themes of faith, survival, storytelling, and the nature of reality.

Important Works & Details for UGC NET:

  • Life of Pi (2001):
    • Genre: Philosophical novel, adventure fiction, fable.
    • Awards: Booker Prize.
    • Characters:
      • Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel: The protagonist and narrator, a young Indian boy.
      • Richard Parker: A Bengal tiger who shares the lifeboat with Pi.
      • Other animals: Orangutan (Orange Juice), hyena, zebra.
    • Plot: Pi, the son of a zookeeper in Pondicherry, India, embarks on a voyage to Canada with his family and their zoo animals. A shipwreck leaves Pi stranded on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. The novel describes Pi's extraordinary struggle for survival, his spiritual journey, and his relationship with the tiger. After his rescue, Pi offers two versions of his story: one with the animals and one with human survivors.
    • Themes: Faith (especially in God, but also in storytelling), survival, hope, the nature of reality, storytelling and its power, animal-human relationships, belief vs. reason.

Chronology of Important Works:

  • Seven Stories (Short Stories, 1993)
  • Self (Novel, 1996)
  • Life of Pi (Novel, 2001)
  • We Are All in the Same Boat (Essay, 2004)
  • Beatrix and Virgil (Novel, 2010)
  • The High Mountains of Portugal (Novel, 2016)

5. Margaret Laurence

Born: July 18, 1926

Died: January 5, 1987

Bio: Margaret Laurence was a prominent Canadian novelist and short story writer. She is best known for her "Manawaka series" of novels, which explore the lives of women in a fictional small town in Manitoba, delving into themes of Canadian identity, feminism, religion, and the complexities of human relationships.

Important Works & Details for UGC NET:

  • The Stone Angel (1964):
    • Genre: Novel.
    • Setting: Manawaka, Manitoba, and a nursing home.
    • Characters: Hagar Shipley (the elderly protagonist), Marvin Shipley (her son), Doris Shipley (Marvin's wife), Bram Shipley (Hagar's deceased husband).
    • Plot: The novel is narrated by 90-year-old Hagar Shipley, who is fiercely independent and defiant. As her health declines, she reflects on her life, her difficult relationships with her family, and her proud, unyielding nature. The narrative shifts between her present struggle with aging and memories of her past, revealing a life marked by pride, regret, and a refusal to be vulnerable.
    • Themes: Pride, aging, mortality, family relationships, regret, independence, the prairie experience, Canadian identity, the limitations placed on women.
  • A Jest of God (1966):
    • Genre: Novel.
    • Awards: Governor General's Award.
    • Characters: Rachel Cameron (a lonely, unmarried schoolteacher).
    • Plot: Rachel, a timid and repressed schoolteacher in Manawaka, struggles with her provincial life and her domineering mother. She embarks on a brief, clandestine affair that leads to a mistaken pregnancy scare, forcing her to confront her desires, fears, and the possibility of a different future.
    • Themes: Loneliness, sexuality, repression, self-discovery, small-town life, female experience.
  • The Diviners (1974):
    • Genre: Novel.
    • Awards: Governor General's Award.
    • Characters: Morag Gunn (a writer).
    • Plot: Morag Gunn, a writer living in Ontario, reflects on her life, particularly her upbringing in Manawaka, her troubled marriage, and her relationship with her daughter. The novel explores the creative process, the search for identity, and the complex interplay of past and present.
    • Themes: Creativity, memory, identity, motherhood, indigenous relationships, storytelling, Canadian history.

Chronology of Important Works (Manawaka Cycle):

  • The Stone Angel (1964)
  • A Jest of God (1966)
  • The Fire-Dwellers (1969)
  • A Bird in the House (Short Stories, 1970)
  • The Diviners (1974)

Other Notable Works:

  • This Side Jordan (1960)
  • Tomorrow Tamer (Short Stories, 1963)

6. Robertson Davies

Born: August 28, 1913

Died: December 2, 1995

Bio: Robertson Davies was a distinguished Canadian novelist, playwright, journalist, and professor. He is best known for his intricate and intellectual novels, particularly his trilogies, which often blend elements of myth, Jungian psychology, magic, and satire to explore Canadian culture, education, and the human condition.

Important Works & Details for UGC NET:

  • The Deptford Trilogy: A series of three novels that explores themes of illusion, reality, magic, fate, and the psychology of its characters, often drawing on Jungian archetypes.
    • Fifth Business (1970):
      • Characters: Dunstan Ramsay (the narrator, a retired schoolmaster), Boy Staunton (his lifelong friend and antagonist), Paul Dempster (a magician, later called Magnus Eisengrim).
      • Plot: The story begins in 1908 with a snowball thrown by Boy Staunton that hits Mary Dempster, a pregnant woman, causing her to go into premature labor. This event profoundly impacts Dunstan's life, leading him to a lifelong fascination with saints and miracles. He reflects on his relationship with Boy and the mysterious Paul Dempster, who becomes a famous magician. The novel explores guilt, obsession, and the hidden forces that shape lives.
    • The Manticore (1972):
      • Characters: David Staunton (Boy Staunton's son), Liesl Naegeli (Jungian analyst).
      • Plot: David Staunton, a successful but emotionally stunted lawyer, travels to Switzerland to undergo Jungian analysis following his father's mysterious death. The novel delves into David's psyche, exploring his childhood, his relationship with his father, and his search for self-understanding. It serves as a psychological exploration and expands on events from *Fifth Business*.
    • World of Wonders (1975):
      • Characters: Magnus Eisengrim (Paul Dempster), Dunstan Ramsay.
      • Plot: This novel reveals the backstory of Paul Dempster, now the famous magician Magnus Eisengrim. It details his childhood escape from his oppressive family, his apprenticeship in a traveling circus, and his transformation into a master illusionist. Through his life story, the novel explores the nature of illusion, art, and the formation of identity.
  • The Cornish Trilogy:
    • The Rebel Angels (1981)
    • What's Bred in the Bone (1985)
    • The Lyre of Orpheus (1988)

Chronology of Important Works (Selected):

  • Tempest-Tost (Salterton Trilogy, 1951)
  • Leaven of Malice (Salterton Trilogy, 1954)
  • A Mixture of Frailties (Salterton Trilogy, 1958)
  • Fifth Business (Deptford Trilogy, 1970)
  • The Manticore (Deptford Trilogy, 1972)
  • World of Wonders (Deptford Trilogy, 1975)
  • The Rebel Angels (Cornish Trilogy, 1981)
  • What's Bred in the Bone (Cornish Trilogy, 1985)
  • The Lyre of Orpheus (Cornish Trilogy, 1988)
  • Murther & Walking Spirits (1991)
  • The Cunning Man (1994)

7. Leonard Cohen

Born: September 21, 1934

Died: November 7, 2016

Bio: Leonard Cohen was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet, and novelist. While primarily known for his influential music, his literary works are equally significant, characterized by their poetic language, exploration of themes like love, loss, spirituality, and despair, and often a melancholic, reflective tone.

Important Works & Details for UGC NET:

  • Let Us Compare Mythologies (1956):
    • Genre: Poetry collection.
    • Details: Cohen's first published book of poetry. It showcases his early poetic style, blending personal introspection with mythological and biblical allusions.
  • The Spice-Box of Earth (1961):
    • Genre: Poetry collection.
    • Details: This collection gained him significant recognition and helped establish him as a major voice in Canadian poetry. It features lyrical poems often exploring love, nature, and spirituality.
  • Beautiful Losers (1966):
    • Genre: Experimental novel.
    • Characters: F. (an unnamed narrator, a scholar of I.T.M., a Mohican saint), Edith (F.'s wife), X. (F.'s best friend).
    • Plot: A complex, non-linear, and often controversial novel that delves into themes of religion, sexuality, identity, and Canadian history. It follows the narrator's obsession with the 17th-century Kateri Tekakwitha, a Mohawk saint, alongside his deteriorating relationships. It's known for its stream-of-consciousness style and explicit content.
    • Themes: Spirituality, sexuality, identity, history, despair, obsession, Canadian identity (particularly Indigenous history).
  • Book of Longing (2006):
    • Genre: Poetry collection.
    • Details: Cohen's first book of new poems in over 20 years. Written largely during his time in a Zen monastery, it reflects on aging, spirituality, love, and his artistic life, often with a blend of humor and profundity.

Chronology of Important Works (Literary):

  • Let Us Compare Mythologies (Poetry, 1956)
  • The Spice-Box of Earth (Poetry, 1961)
  • Flowers for Hitler (Poetry, 1964)
  • The Favorite Game (Novel, 1963)
  • Beautiful Losers (Novel, 1966)
  • Parasites of Heaven (Poetry, 1966)
  • Selected Poems 1956–1968 (Poetry, 1968)
  • Death of a Lady's Man (Poetry/Prose, 1978)
  • Book of Mercy (Prose Poetry, 1984)
  • Stranger Music: Selected Poems and Songs (Selected Works, 1993)
  • Book of Longing (Poetry, 2006)
  • The Flame (Posthumous, Poetry/Prose, 2018)

8. Gabrielle Roy

Born: March 22, 1909

Died: July 13, 1983

Bio: Gabrielle Roy was a Franco-Manitoban writer, one of the most important figures in Canadian literature. She is celebrated for her compassionate and realistic portrayal of working-class life, poverty, immigration, and the struggles of ordinary people, often set in Montreal or the Canadian prairies. Her work significantly contributed to the development of modern Canadian fiction.

Important Works & Details for UGC NET:

  • Bonheur d'occasion (The Tin Flute) (1945):
    • Genre: Realist novel.
    • Awards: Governor General's Award, Prix Femina.
    • Setting: Saint-Henri, a poor working-class neighborhood in Montreal, during World War II.
    • Characters: Florentine Lacasse (a young waitress), Azarius Lacasse (her unemployed father), Rose-Anna Lacasse (her overburdened mother), Jean Lévesque (a cynical but ambitious mechanic), Emmanuel L'Évesque (Jean's more sensitive friend).
    • Plot: The novel chronicles the struggles of the Lacasse family, particularly Florentine, who dreams of escaping poverty and finding love. Florentine is torn between two suitors, Jean and Emmanuel, representing different paths in life. The story vividly depicts the hardships of urban poverty, the impact of war on daily life, and the enduring hope and resilience of the human spirit.
    • Themes: Poverty, urban life, social injustice, the working class, hope vs. despair, love, family, war's impact, Quebec identity.
  • La Petite Poule d'Eau (Where Nests the Water Hen) (1950):
    • Genre: Novel.
    • Setting: Rural Manitoba.
    • Characters: Luzina Tousignant (a determined mother of many children).
    • Plot: This novel presents a lyrical and affectionate portrayal of life in a remote, isolated community in rural Manitoba. It focuses on Luzina Tousignant, who tirelessly works to provide for her large family and secure an education for her children, often overcoming significant obstacles with humor and resilience.
    • Themes: Rural life, nature, family, education, resilience, isolation, the pioneer spirit.

Chronology of Important Works:

  • Bonheur d'occasion (The Tin Flute) (1945)
  • La Petite Poule d'Eau (Where Nests the Water Hen) (1950)
  • Rue Deschambault (Street of Riches) (1955)
  • La Montagne secrète (The Hidden Mountain) (1961)
  • La Route d'Altamont (The Road Past Altamont) (1966)
  • Ces enfants de ma vie (Children of My Heart) (1977)
  • Courte-Queue (Garden in the Wind) (1972)
  • De quoi t'ennuies-tu, Éveline? (The Enchanted Summer) (Posthumous, 1984)

9. Rohinton Mistry

Born: July 3, 1952

Bio: Rohinton Mistry is an Indian-born Canadian novelist. He is renowned for his detailed and compassionate portrayal of life in India, particularly within the Parsi community, and his exploration of themes such as poverty, social injustice, the caste system, family bonds, and the impact of political upheaval.

Important Works & Details for UGC NET:

  • Such a Long Journey (1991):
    • Genre: Social realist novel.
    • Awards: Governor General's Award, Commonwealth Writers' Prize.
    • Setting: Bombay (Mumbai), India, in the early 1970s.
    • Characters: Gustad Noble (a Parsi bank clerk), Dilnavaz Noble (his wife), Sohrab (their son), Dinshawji (Gustad's colleague), Major Bilimoria (a friend and contact).
    • Plot: The novel centers on Gustad Noble, an honest and principled Parsi man, whose life takes an unexpected turn when he agrees to help a former friend, Major Bilimoria, with a seemingly simple task that spirals into a complex and dangerous political conspiracy. The story unfolds against the backdrop of Indira Gandhi's government and the political turmoil of the time, revealing the challenges faced by ordinary citizens.
    • Themes: Corruption, political oppression, family duty, moral choices, the Parsi community, urban life in India, resilience.
  • A Fine Balance (1995):
    • Genre: Social realist novel.
    • Awards: Giller Prize, Commonwealth Writers' Prize, shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
    • Setting: India, primarily Bombay, during the 1970s, specifically during the Emergency period (1975-1977).
    • Characters: Dina Dalal (a Parsi widow), Ishvar Darji and Omprakash Darji (uncle and nephew, untouchable leather-workers), Maneck Kohlah (a student).
    • Plot: The lives of four disparate individuals intersect during a period of political unrest and social upheaval in India. Dina, trying to maintain her independence, takes in Ishvar, Omprakash, and Maneck as tenants/lodgers. Their struggles with poverty, the caste system, forced sterilization, and police brutality are depicted with great empathy and detail, showcasing their resilience and the "fine balance" they maintain in their lives despite immense suffering.
    • Themes: Poverty, human rights, the caste system, political corruption, resilience, compassion, friendship, dignity, injustice.

Chronology of Important Works:

  • Tales from Firozsha Baag (Short Stories, 1987) / Squatter (US Title)
  • Such a Long Journey (1991)
  • A Fine Balance (1995)
  • Family Matters (2002)

10. Lawrence Hill

Born: January 24, 1957

Bio: Lawrence Hill is a Canadian novelist, short story writer, and essayist. He is best known for his historical novels that explore themes of race, identity, history, and the African diaspora, particularly focusing on the experiences of Black individuals in North America and beyond.

Important Works & Details for UGC NET:

  • The Book of Negroes (2007) / Someone Knows My Name (US Title):
    • Genre: Historical novel.
    • Awards: Commonwealth Writers' Prize, Giller Prize.
    • Setting: West Africa, American South, Nova Scotia, Sierra Leone, England in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
    • Characters: Aminata Diallo (protagonist), Chekura Tanners (her husband), Sam Fraunces, John Clarkson, Jabari.
    • Plot: The epic story of Aminata Diallo, an intelligent and resilient young woman kidnapped from her village in West Africa (present-day Mali) as a child and sold into slavery in South Carolina. She endures immense hardship, escapes during the American Revolution, and finds her way to freedom in Nova Scotia, only to face new challenges. Her journey eventually takes her to Sierra Leone and then to England, where she advocates for the abolition of slavery, recounting her life for "The Book of Negroes," a historical document listing Black Loyalists who sought freedom in Nova Scotia.
    • Themes: Slavery, freedom, identity, belonging, racism, resilience, memory, the African diaspora, historical injustice.

Chronology of Important Works:

  • Stack of Dailies (Novel, 1985)
  • Any Known Blood (Novel, 1997)
  • Black Berry, Sweet Juice: On Being Black and White in Canada (Memoir, 2001)
  • The Book of Negroes (2007) / Someone Knows My Name (US Title)
  • Blood: The Stuff of Life (Non-fiction, 2013)
  • The Illegal (Novel, 2015)
  • Dear Sir, I Intend to Burn Your Book: An Open Letter to the People of Canada (Essay, 2021)

11. Shyam Selvadurai

Born: February 12, 1965

Bio: Shyam Selvadurai is a Sri Lankan-born Canadian novelist. His work often explores themes of sexual identity, ethnicity, family, and the experience of growing up queer in a conservative society, often set against the backdrop of political unrest in Sri Lanka.

Important Works & Details for UGC NET:

  • Funny Boy (1994):
    • Genre: Coming-of-age novel, semi-autobiographical.
    • Awards: Lambda Literary Award, Books in Canada First Novel Award.
    • Setting: Colombo, Sri Lanka, in the 1970s and early 1980s.
    • Characters: Arjie Chelvaratnam (the protagonist), Amma (Arjie's mother), Appa (Arjie's father), Radha Aunty, Shehan Soyza.
    • Plot: Told through the eyes of Arjie Chelvaratnam, a young Tamil boy growing up in an affluent family in Sri Lanka. The novel is structured as a series of interconnected stories, each depicting a stage in Arjie's journey of discovering his gay identity and navigating the expectations of his family and society. It also vividly portrays the escalating ethnic tensions between the Tamil and Sinhalese communities, culminating in the 1983 Black July riots, which force Arjie and his family to flee to Canada.
    • Themes: Homosexuality, coming-of-age, ethnic conflict, family dynamics, class, displacement, loss of innocence, belonging.

Chronology of Important Works:

  • Funny Boy (1994)
  • Cinnamon Gardens (1998)
  • Story-Wallah! A Celebration of South Asian Fiction (Editor, 2005)
  • Swimming in the Monsoon Sea (2005)
  • The Hungry Ghosts (2013)

12. Maria Campbell

Born: April 6, 1940

Bio: Maria Campbell is a Métis author, filmmaker, playwright, and elder from Saskatchewan, Canada. She is a pivotal figure in Indigenous literature, known for her groundbreaking autobiographical work *Halfbreed*, which brought critical attention to the realities of Métis life in Canada and played a significant role in the Indigenous rights movement.

Important Works & Details for UGC NET:

  • Halfbreed (1973):
    • Genre: Autobiography, memoir.
    • Plot: A powerful and unflinching memoir that recounts Campbell's difficult life growing up Métis in rural Saskatchewan. She details her experiences with poverty, racism, the loss of her mother, her struggles with addiction and prostitution, and her eventual journey towards self-acceptance and activism. The book offers a raw and honest portrayal of the systemic discrimination and hardships faced by Métis and Indigenous peoples in Canada, while also highlighting their resilience and cultural strength.
    • Themes: Métis identity, racism, poverty, sexism, colonialism, resilience, cultural survival, healing, social injustice, the foster care system.

Chronology of Important Works:

  • Halfbreed (1973)
  • Riel's People (Children's book, 1978)
  • People of the Buffalo (Children's book, 1976)
  • The Book of Jessica: A Theatrical Transformation (Play, with Linda Griffiths, 1989)
  • Stories of the Road Allowance People (Collection of traditional stories, 1995)
  • Kiss of the Fur Queen (Novel, co-authored with Patrick Friesen, 1998)
  • Road Allowance People (Play, 2003)
  • Flight: The Journey of a Feather (Children's book, 2014)

13. Sinclair Ross

Born: January 22, 1908

Died: February 29, 1986

Bio: Sinclair Ross was a Canadian novelist and short story writer, best known for his depictions of life on the Canadian prairies during the Great Depression. His work is characterized by its stark realism, psychological depth, and exploration of themes such as isolation, hardship, artistic struggle, and the challenges of rural existence.

Important Works & Details for UGC NET:

  • As for Me and My House (1941):
    • Genre: Novel.
    • Setting: Horizon, a fictional small town on the Saskatchewan prairies during the Great Depression.
    • Characters: Mrs. Bentley (the narrator, wife of Philip), Philip Bentley (a struggling minister and frustrated artist), Paul (their adopted son), Steve (a young boy).
    • Plot: Narrated through the diary entries of Mrs. Bentley, the novel describes her life with her husband, Philip, a minister whose true passion is painting. Their marriage is marked by bitterness, unspoken resentments, and the harsh realities of prairie life and the Depression. Mrs. Bentley struggles with her husband's artistic failures and her own unfulfilled desires, while Philip battles with his faith and artistic aspirations. The novel is a stark psychological portrait of a troubled relationship and the isolating environment of the prairies.
    • Themes: Isolation, artistic frustration, marital discord, faith vs. doubt, the Great Depression, prairie realism, hypocrisy, unfulfilled desires.

Chronology of Important Works:

  • As for Me and My House (1941)
  • The Well (1958)
  • The Lamp at Noon and Other Stories (Short Stories, 1968)
  • Sawbones Memorial (1974)

14. Thomas King

Born: April 24, 1943

Bio: Thomas King is a Canadian-American novelist, short story writer, scriptwriter, and photographer of Cherokee and Greek descent. He is a prominent voice in Indigenous literature, known for his satirical and often humorous approach to complex issues concerning Indigenous identity, history, and relationships with non-Indigenous cultures. His work often incorporates trickster figures and blends oral storytelling traditions with contemporary narratives.

Important Works & Details for UGC NET:

  • Green Grass, Running Water (1993):
    • Genre: Novel, satirical, postmodern.
    • Awards: Shortlisted for the Governor General's Award.
    • Setting: Small town in Alberta (Blossom) and various historical/mythological settings.
    • Characters: Lionel Red Dog, Eli Stands Alone, Alberta Frank, Charlie Looking Bear, and four old Indigenous figures (Lonnie, Norman, Ishmael, and Thought Woman) who escape a mental institution and interact with biblical/mythological figures.
    • Plot: A complex, multi-layered narrative that interweaves the lives of several contemporary Blackfoot characters with a parallel story featuring four rebellious, ancient Indigenous elders who challenge Western creation myths and biblical narratives. The novel humorously deconstructs stereotypes, reclaims Indigenous stories, and critiques Western interpretations of history and culture.
    • Themes: Indigenous identity, oral tradition, storytelling, colonialism, decolonization, humor, satire, myth, history, environmentalism.
  • The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America (2012):
    • Genre: Non-fiction, historical analysis.
    • Awards: RBC Taylor Prize.
    • Plot: A highly acclaimed non-fiction work that offers a concise and witty, yet deeply insightful, account of the history of Indigenous peoples in North America, from contact to the present. King challenges popular misconceptions, critiques government policies, and highlights the resilience and enduring presence of Indigenous cultures.
    • Themes: Indigenous history, colonialism, racism, cultural survival, land rights, sovereignty, identity.

Chronology of Important Works (Selected):

  • Medicine River (Novel, 1990)
  • A Coyote Columbus Story (Children's book, 1992)
  • Green Grass, Running Water (Novel, 1993)
  • One Good Story, That One (Short Stories, 1993)
  • Truth and Bright Water (Novel, 1999)
  • DreadfulWater Shows Up (Novel, as Hartley GoodWeather, 2002)
  • The Truth About Stories: A Native Narrative (Non-fiction, 2003)
  • The Red Power Murders (Novel, as Hartley GoodWeather, 2006)
  • A Short History of Indians in Canada (Short Stories, 2006)
  • The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America (Non-fiction, 2012)
  • The Back of the Turtle (Novel, 2014)
  • Sufferance (Novel, 2020)

15. Lucy Maud Montgomery

Born: November 30, 1874

Died: April 24, 1942

Bio: Lucy Maud Montgomery was a beloved Canadian author, best known for her series of novels beginning with *Anne of Green Gables*. Her works, set primarily on Prince Edward Island, are celebrated for their charming portrayals of rural life, nature, imagination, and the journey of self-discovery.

Important Works & Details for UGC NET:

  • Anne of Green Gables (1908):
    • Genre: Children's literature, coming-of-age novel.
    • Setting: Avonlea, Prince Edward Island, late 19th century.
    • Characters: Anne Shirley (an imaginative orphan girl with red hair), Marilla Cuthbert (a stern but kind-hearted spinster), Matthew Cuthbert (Marilla's shy, gentle brother), Diana Barry (Anne's best friend), Gilbert Blythe (Anne's academic rival and later love interest).
    • Plot: Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, elderly siblings, decide to adopt a boy to help them with farm work. By mistake, they are sent Anne Shirley, a spirited, imaginative, and talkative eleven-year-old orphan girl. Despite their initial disappointment, Anne's unique personality and vivid imagination eventually win them over. The novel follows Anne's adventures, misadventures, and growth as she finds a home, friends, and love in Avonlea.
    • Themes: Imagination, belonging, friendship, nature, education, growing up, overcoming adversity, the power of storytelling.

Chronology of Important Works (Anne of Green Gables series):

  • Anne of Green Gables (1908)
  • Anne of Avonlea (1909)
  • Anne of the Island (1915)
  • Anne's House of Dreams (1917)
  • Rainbow Valley (1919)
  • Rilla of Ingleside (1921)
  • Anne of Windy Poplars (1936) / Anne of Windy Willows (UK Title)
  • Anne of Ingleside (1939)

Other Notable Works:

  • Emily of New Moon (1923)
  • The Blue Castle (1926)
  • Magic for Marigold (1929)

16. Dionne Brand

Born: January 28, 1953

Bio: Dionne Brand is a Trinidadian-born Canadian poet, novelist, essayist, and documentary filmmaker. Her work is characterized by its lyrical prose, political engagement, and profound exploration of themes such as race, gender, migration, diaspora, social justice, and the complexities of Black identity in Canada and the wider world.

Important Works & Details for UGC NET:

  • In Another Place, Not Here (1996):
    • Genre: Novel.
    • Plot: This novel tells the story of Elizete, a revolutionary from a fictional Caribbean island, and Verlia, a Canadian woman. Their lives intersect and intertwine, exploring themes of revolution, displacement, identity, and the search for home across different geographies and political landscapes.
  • What We All Long For (2005):
    • Genre: Novel.
    • Awards: Toronto Book Award.
    • Setting: Toronto.
    • Characters: Focuses on the intertwined lives of several young, diverse characters in Toronto – Tuyen (a Vietnamese-Canadian artist), Carla (a Black Canadian woman searching for her missing brother), Jamal (a Sri Lankan Tamil man), Oku (a Jamaican-Canadian poet).
    • Plot: The novel follows the lives of a group of friends in Toronto, each dealing with personal and collective histories of migration, loss, and the search for belonging. Carla's quest to find her long-lost brother forms a central thread, tying together the experiences of the other characters who grapple with their identities in a multicultural city.
    • Themes: Migration, diaspora, longing, urban identity, race, class, friendship, memory, the multicultural city, loss, family.
  • Thirsty (2002):
    • Genre: Poetry collection.
    • Awards: Pat Lowther Memorial Award.
    • Details: A powerful collection of poems that explore desire, longing, social justice, and the urban landscape of Toronto, often with a keen eye on the experiences of marginalized communities.
  • Ossuaries (2010):
    • Genre: Poetry collection.
    • Awards: Griffin Poetry Prize.
    • Details: A long poem that follows the journey of a character named Yasmine. It's a complex and philosophical work that grapples with history, violence, memory, and the fragments of identity, often using a fragmented and dense style.

Chronology of Important Works (Selected):

  • Foreday Morning: Poems (Poetry, 1978)
  • Earth Magic (Poetry, 1979)
  • Chronicles of the Hostile Sun (Poetry, 1984)
  • Sans Souci and Other Stories (Short Stories, 1988)
  • No Language Is Neutral (Poetry, 1990)
  • No Easy Passage: A Look at the Lives of Women in the English-Speaking Caribbean (Non-fiction, 1992)
  • Bread Out of Stone (Essays, 1994)
  • In Another Place, Not Here (Novel, 1996)
  • Land to Light On (Poetry, 1997)
  • At the Full and Change of the Moon (Novel, 1999)
  • A Map to the Door of No Return: Notes to Belonging (Non-fiction, 2001)
  • Thirsty (Poetry, 2002)
  • What We All Long For (Novel, 2005)
  • Ossuaries (Poetry, 2010)
  • Theory (Novel, 2016)
  • The Blue Clerk (Poetry/Prose, 2018)
  • Nomenclature: New and Collected Poems (Poetry, 2021)

17. Mordecai Richler

Born: January 27, 1931

Died: July 26, 2001

Bio: Mordecai Richler was a renowned Canadian novelist, essayist, and screenwriter. Known for his sharp wit, satirical tone, and often controversial views, he frequently explored themes of Jewish identity, Canadian nationalism, anti-Semitism, and the complexities of moral and social behavior, often set in Montreal's Jewish community.

Important Works & Details for UGC NET:

  • The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1959):
    • Genre: Bildungsroman, satirical novel.
    • Setting: Montreal, primarily the Jewish St. Urbain Street neighborhood, in the late 1940s.
    • Characters: Duddy Kravitz (the ambitious and ruthless protagonist), Max Kravitz (his taxi-driving father), Uncle Jake (his uncle), Virgil Roseboro (his epileptic friend), Yvette (his girlfriend).
    • Plot: The novel follows the relentless ambition of Duddy Kravitz, a young, working-class Jewish man from Montreal, who is determined to make his fortune and gain respect by acquiring land. Duddy employs unscrupulous and often morally questionable methods to achieve his goals, alienating friends and family along the way. The novel is a biting satire on capitalism, ambition, and the immigrant experience, exploring the moral compromises made in the pursuit of success.
    • Themes: Ambition, materialism, Jewish identity, social mobility, morality, betrayal, family, the Canadian Dream, anti-Semitism.
  • St. Urbain's Horseman (1971):
    • Genre: Novel, satirical.
    • Awards: Governor General's Award.
    • Characters: Jake Hersh (a successful Canadian filmmaker living in London), Joey (Jake's cousin, "St. Urbain's Horseman").
    • Plot: The novel centers on Jake Hersh, a successful but neurotic filmmaker living in London, who is haunted by memories of his charismatic but elusive cousin, Joey. Jake becomes entangled in a bizarre legal case, which leads him to reflect on his past, his Jewish identity, and his relationship with Joey, who is a symbol of heroism and self-destruction. The narrative moves between London and Montreal, intertwining Jake's present struggles with flashbacks to his youth.
    • Themes: Jewish identity, exile, memory, celebrity, justice, morality, satire of media and society.
  • Barney's Version (1997):
    • Genre: Novel, pseudo-memoir.
    • Awards: Giller Prize.
    • Characters: Barney Panofsky (the narrator, a curmudgeonly, aging Jewish-Canadian TV producer), his three wives (Clara, the Second Mrs. P, Miriam).
    • Plot: Presented as the unreliable memoir of Barney Panofsky, an aging, politically incorrect, and hard-drinking Jewish-Canadian television producer. Barney recounts his tumultuous life, his three marriages, and his involvement in the mysterious disappearance of his best friend. The novel is a darkly comedic and cynical reflection on memory, truth, love, and the passage of time, with Barney often defending himself against accusations and misinterpretations of his life.
    • Themes: Memory, truth vs. fiction, aging, love, marriage, friendship, Canadian identity, Jewish identity, satire of modern life.

Chronology of Important Works (Selected):

  • The Acrobats (1954)
  • Son of a Smaller Hero (1955)
  • A Choice of Enemies (1957)
  • The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1959)
  • The Incomparable Atuk (1963) / Stick Your Neck Out (US Title)
  • Cocksure (1968)
  • St. Urbain's Horseman (1971)
  • Joshua Then and Now (1980)
  • Oh Canada! Oh Quebec! Requiem for a Divided Country (Non-fiction, 1992)
  • Barney's Version (1997)

18. Farley Mowat

Born: May 12, 1921

Died: May 6, 2014

Bio: Farley Mowat was a prominent Canadian author and environmentalist. He was known for his non-fiction works that blend personal adventure, natural history, and social commentary, often focusing on Canada's northern regions, its wildlife, and Indigenous peoples. His writing is characterized by its passion, advocacy, and often controversial stance on environmental and social issues.

Important Works & Details for UGC NET:

  • Never Cry Wolf (1963):
    • Genre: Autobiographical novel, environmental non-fiction (contested as fictionalized).
    • Setting: The Canadian Arctic.
    • Characters: Farley Mowat (the narrator, a government biologist), Mike (an Inuit guide), Ootek (another Inuit guide).
    • Plot: Mowat recounts his experiences as a biologist sent by the Canadian government to the Arctic to investigate the decline of the caribou population, which was believed to be caused by wolves. Through his observations and interactions with the wolves and the local Inuit people, Mowat challenges the popular misconception of wolves as bloodthirsty killers, arguing that they are highly intelligent, social animals that play a vital role in the ecosystem. He concludes that human hunting, not wolves, is the real threat to caribou.
    • Themes: Environmentalism, conservation, debunking myths, human impact on nature, Indigenous knowledge, the Arctic, animal behavior. (Note: While presented as non-fiction, the book has been criticized for its factual inaccuracies and fictionalized elements, though its impact on environmental awareness remains significant.)
  • The Boat Who Wouldn't Float (1969):
    • Genre: Humorous memoir.
    • Awards: Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour.
    • Plot: A comical account of Mowat's misadventures with a decrepit schooner named the "Happy Adventure" and his attempts to sail it around the coast of Newfoundland. It's a lighthearted but affectionate portrayal of Newfoundland culture and the challenges of seafaring.

Chronology of Important Works (Selected):

  • People of the Deer (1952)
  • The Regiment (1955)
  • The Dog Who Wouldn't Be (1957)
  • Grey Seas Under (1958)
  • The Desperate People (1959)
  • Never Cry Wolf (1963)
  • The Serpent's Coil (1961)
  • Westviking (1967)
  • The Boat Who Wouldn't Float (1969)
  • A Whale for the Killing (1972)
  • And No Birds Sang (1979)
  • Sea of Slaughter (1984)
  • Woman in the Mists (1987)
  • The Farfarers (2000)

19. E. Pauline Johnson (Tekahionwake)

Born: March 10, 1861

Died: March 7, 1913

Bio: Emily Pauline Johnson, also known by her Mohawk name Tekahionwake, was a prominent Canadian poet, writer, and performer. Of mixed Mohawk and European ancestry, she was a pioneering Indigenous literary figure who gained international recognition for her performances blending traditional Mohawk stories, Indigenous legends, and patriotic Canadian verses. Her work often explored themes of Indigenous rights, cultural identity, and the Canadian landscape.

Important Works & Details for UGC NET:

  • The White Wampum (1895):
    • Genre: Poetry collection.
    • Details: Johnson's first published collection of poems. It includes several of her famous poems that celebrate Indigenous culture, traditions, and protest injustices, alongside lyrical nature poetry and romantic verses.
  • Canadian Born (1903):
    • Genre: Poetry collection.
    • Details: This collection further solidified her reputation, featuring poems that often expressed a sense of national pride in Canada while also continuing to engage with themes of Indigenous life and history.
  • Legends of Vancouver (1911):
    • Genre: Collection of short stories/legends.
    • Details: A collection of stories based on the oral traditions of the Squamish and other Coast Salish peoples, as told to her by Chief Joe Capilano. Johnson retells these legends, offering insights into Indigenous mythology, culture, and connection to the land. This work is significant for its preservation and popularization of Indigenous oral narratives.
  • Flint and Feather (1912):
    • Genre: Collected Poems.
    • Details: A comprehensive collection of her poetry published shortly before her death. It includes many of her most famous works, such as "The Song My Paddle Sings" and "The Cattle Thief," showcasing her diverse poetic range. This remains her most widely recognized work.

Chronology of Important Works:

  • The White Wampum (Poetry, 1895)
  • Canadian Born (Poetry, 1903)
  • When George Was King and Other Stories (Short Stories, 1908)
  • Legends of Vancouver (Stories, 1911)
  • Flint and Feather: The Complete Poems (Collected Poems, 1912)
  • The Moccasin Maker (Stories, posthumous, 1913)

20. Alistair MacLeod

Born: July 20, 1936

Died: April 20, 2014

Bio: Alistair MacLeod was a Canadian novelist and short story writer, celebrated for his sparse, lyrical prose and his profound exploration of the lives of Cape Breton Islanders, particularly focusing on their Scottish-Canadian heritage, the harsh realities of mining and fishing, and the enduring bonds of family and tradition. His work is known for its deep emotional resonance and its vivid sense of place.

Important Works & Details for UGC NET:

  • No Great Mischief (1999):
    • Genre: Novel.
    • Awards: IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, Giller Prize.
    • Setting: Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, and various other locations including Ontario.
    • Characters: Alexander MacDonald (the narrator), Calum MacDonald (his brother), extended MacDonald family (often referred to by their Gaelic names).
    • Plot: The novel spans several generations of the MacDonald family, a clan of Scottish-Canadians who emigrated from the Isle of Harris to Cape Breton. Narrated by Alexander, an orthodontist, the story traces the family's history, their struggles with poverty, alcoholism, and the dangerous lives of coal miners and fishermen. It vividly portrays their strong family loyalty, their connection to their Gaelic language and traditions, and the challenges of modern life pulling them away from their roots. The title refers to a historical incident involving a MacDonald ancestor.
    • Themes: Family legacy, Scottish-Canadian identity, memory, home, displacement, labor, hardship, tradition vs. modernity, the bond between brothers, the power of storytelling.

Chronology of Important Works (MacLeod published sparingly but powerfully):

  • The Lost Salt Gift of Blood (Short Stories, 1976)
  • As Birds Bring Forth the Sun and Other Stories (Short Stories, 1986)
  • Island: The Complete Stories (Collected Short Stories, 2000) - This includes all stories from his previous two collections.
  • No Great Mischief (Novel, 1999)
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