Should French Canadian writers follow French traditions or strike out in their own way, even if it is a North American way? For two years the question has sparked a lively debate among French Canadian intellectuals.
René Garneau, Montreal critic and devoted apostle of French letters, sounded the first sharp note. With apprehension he had watched the rise of such French Canadian writers as Gabrielle Roy, whose Bonheur d'occasion (Accidental Happiness) became a U.S. best-seller as The Tin Flute (TIME, March 17). Her story of a Montreal slum showed unmistakable U.S. influences. Wrote...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
