Canadian Grim: Life cycle in Alistair MacLeod's "As birds bring forth the sun"

Abstract

In his short stories, Canadian novelist and short story writer, Alistair MacLeod, frequently depicts a canine entity that abounds in rich symbolism. This paper deals with the role of a large grey dog (referred to in Gaelic as c mar glas), a central figure and a leading symbol in MacLeod's short story "As Birds Bring Forth the Sun." It attempts to demonstrate how its author uses a local Scottish legend from the area of Isle of Skye, in which the dog plays a central role, transforms it to suit the Canadian environment and gives it a universal scope, thereby making it globally relevant.