Deceit

From Wikousta

Revision as of 15:11, 15 June 2020

Group 3 – Deceit

Introduction

The concept of deceit is one that has deep implications when looking at Canada’s colonial history and relationships between Canadian Settlers and Indigenous populations. It is even valid to say that Canada was founded because of deceit. As the son of an Indigenous mother and an English father, Richardson is able to use Canada’s first novel to make a commentary on what Canada is, not through the experience of one side, but through the experience of both sides, through the experience of a Canadian]]. Through this commentary he reveals the deep deceit that has played out in the formation of Canada and its society by examining the relationship between Indigenous and Canadian settlers, the Canadian landscape, and gender roles in society.

Richardson utilizes this theme of deceit to not only advance the plot and keep the audience engaged and paying attention but also to draw attention to important ideas regarding the relationship between Indigenous and Canadian Settler relationships and how they are navigated. Explicit examples of deceit are really what drive the relationships among much of the characters, but from these are implicit themes that are important to understand the dynamic of the Canada in which we live and its deep history. In Volume 1 the relationship between Charles De Haldimar and Frank Halloway allows Richardson to make an important commentary on class, the concept of honour and nobility. In Volume 2, the deception plays out with various attempts to draw out peace between the Indigenous peoples and British, however each side is cautious of the other due to a history of deceit, here the implications may be obvious as this is a clearly a reflection of what Indigenous peoples still face to this day and the difficult road to reconciliation due to the years of mistrust on both sides. Finally, in Volume 3, Richardson uses deceit to reach a climactic end, he utilizes the imagery of the unknown and new Canadian landscape to further develop the idea of deceit in the relationship between Indigenous peoples and the Canadian settlers.