Assessment Of Security Standard And Open Web Application...

Assessment of Security Standard OWASP and UKCES For ICT 4845 Network Security with Lab Medha Banda University of Denver University College November 3, 2015 Instructor: Prof. Holger Weinhardt Table of contents: 1. Abstract†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..1 2. Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.1-2 3. The standard for OWASP†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦2-5 4. UKCES†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..5-6 5. Comparison between OWASP and UKCES†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.7-11 6. Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 7. Reference†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11-12 ABSTRACT: The main intent of this paper is to discuss the applications that use the World Wide Web to process the data and access, with the help of the standard protocols to operate on shielded platforms. These procedures are†¦show more content†¦The programmed framework is getting more complex and more uncertain, there is besides a threat of achieving application security. Utilizing the OWASP the essential application security dangers are affirmed and recognized utilizing the examination procedure and making application security more self-evident. The government and industry of the UK developed the UKCES to fulfil two functions. They are all the companies should perform the risk mitigation techniques using the basic controls to eliminate the internet based problems and that should be within the 10 steps to Cyber security by the government. The other one is that the assurance framework, which offers a framework to the organizations to bespeak to the customers, investors that they have taken the essential security precautions. UKCES is a strategy that is planned by the government of UK to make their nation highly secure for the internet trade. By this strategy the digital country s security has been fathomed, expansion to it the strategies and steps are decided for making it sturdy (Cleveland 2008). The first step if the risk management that the organizations should take care of to eliminate the chance of losing their secured information. Government underscored the requirement for organization Boards and senior administrators to take responsibility for these dangers and revere them inside of their general corporate risk management regime.

Letter to Client Advising on the Tax Impact of Sale of Property by Installments Free Essays

I would like to bring to your attention the tax ramifications of your expressed consideration to sell your estate to us. But before I can do that, I consider it very essential for you to understand how ABC Trusts work. This will require initial knowledge of how the more common AB Trusts work. We will write a custom essay sample on Letter to Client Advising on the Tax Impact of Sale of Property by Installments or any similar topic only for you Order Now AB Trust: An AB Trust offers creditor, lawsuit, divorce and bankruptcy protection for the surviving spouse in addition to similar protection for ones heirs when they take charge of their inheritances. The death of the first spouse makes the Living Trust be divided into two distinct Trusts. Trust A is held in the name of the living spouse while trust be is in the name of the deceased spouse. Both the two trusts are meant to be for the benefit of the surviving as long as they are alive, but in the end the assets will go to the spouses’ heirs. The surviving spouse, to a pre-agreed and stipulated level, controls Trust B though it belongs to the beneficiaries named in the Trust. All the assets and properties in Trust B pass to the originally stated beneficiaries upon the death of the surving spouse. The properties and assets in Trust B are considered not to be the surving spouse’s property and for that reason they are usually not subject to tax. ABC Trust: An ABC Trust has clauses that direct the trustee the revocable Living Trust, upon the occurrence of the first spouse’s death, to divide the Trust into three distinct and separate Trusts as opposed to two in an AB Trust. This has the effect of providing a even greater protection from creditors for the living spouse. Just as is the case with AB Trust, the A Trust is a revocable Living Trust for the living spouse. The Band C Trusts are irrevocable and are usually meant to benefit the surviving spouse while they are alive, but the assets in both Trusts eventually transfer to the deceased’s heirs on passing on of the surving spouse. Currently, $3. 5 million is the tax exempt amount per individual and $7million for a couple. Trust C holds any overflow over and above the $7million for couples, and this is contrary to AB Trust where the overflows of Income go to Trust A. This extends the creditor, bankruptcy, divorce and lawsuit protection to the surviving spouse in addition to the same protection offered to heirs, if they wish so. Taxation of installment sales In certain situations the installment sale of property method allows a sale of property without requiring the seller to recognize and report gains made on the property until the actual receipt of the payment. The rules that govern installment sales are well laid down. In addition the gain deferral achieved though installment sale treatment, in particular circumstances, and enables the transferor to spread gain over the period of payment of installments depending on the proportion the gross profit on sale carries to the price of the contract. If the seller and the buyer make an agreement to specifically allocate installments, then tax deferrals can be maximized. The rule for eligibility for installment sale treatment, the seller must receive not less than one payment after the end of year of tax in which the sale occurs . However, there are a number of ineligible transactions, which include among others transactions where the overall sale results into a loss and where transaction involves sale of inventory. Generally speaking, the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (TRA ’97) had the impact of reducing the maximum capital gains rate to twenty per cent. However, some other changes have been made to the taxation of gains on depreciable real property. Complexities have often arose in administration of these new provisions to depreciable real estate sold subject. This however is of little concern for you because your property is non-depreciable. Considering the facts regarding the matter as laid down above, I am pleased to inform you that your effort of reducing the amount of tax that would be due as gain on sale is likely to succeed because the sale will be done at market value thus no losses shall be realized on the sale, in addition to the fact that the property is not an inventory. Furthermore, the tax will de deferred to the beneficiaries of your estate and thus will likely be spread and shared among several beneficiaries and thus the tax burden will be spread among several shoulders as well. The fact that your estate is held in an ABC Trust is even good news because the level of protection provided to the estate, as well as the beneficiaries if they so wish, against lawsuits and creditors after the grantor passes is significantly high. I therefore strongly recommend that you go ahead with the sale as you stand to gain a lot in from such a sale. How to cite Letter to Client Advising on the Tax Impact of Sale of Property by Installments, Papers

Analyze Hiperbaric Customers Behavior †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Analyze Hiperbaric Customer Behavior. Answer: Introduction Hiperbaric is the world-leading manufacturing company of High-Pressure Processing devices for the food industry. In the beginning era 1999, Hiperbaric has been engaged in the design, technological evolution, production and commercialization of high-pressure processing equipment. The reason behind leading high-tech organization was its reliability, team alliances, customer support and the continuous support, team work and continuous development because of its powerful innovation which are the key ingredients for a world. This report analyzes the Hiperbaric customer behavior and their relationship needs. The customer analysis the two segments which include small food and large corporate food processor and explains the different customer segments. Customer Analysis According to Adjei et al. (2010), Hyperbaric usually have two types of customers, first one is those customers by which Hiperbaric contact directly through cold calling and the second one are those customers who are proactively interested in high-pressure technology. The customer analysis the current and potential customers of Hiperbari which includes two major points: Analyze segments: Hiperbaric main aim is to earn a position in customer minds as a manufacturer of good quality foods in the specialty food industry. Hiperbaric includes two segments that are small food processor and large corporate food processor (Arturo Garza-Reyes et al. 2010). Hyperbaric provides the equipment for small food processor like juices, salad chopper and provide the large food processor like equipment used in industry, hotels. According to Brennan (2014), Hiperbaric is an innovative manufacturing industry that is consolidating its position as the first natural alternative for handling a wide range of food products. Buyer Behavior Analysis According to Foulds, M. (2016), buyer behavior analysis covers all the important aspects of the purchase, utility, and disposal of products and services. In the business organization, consumer behaviors are considered within the framework of the consumer. Social, cultural and individual factors play a big role in explaining consumer buying behavior. Customer has analyzed two Hiperbaric customer segments that are small food processor and large corporate food process to know their buying behavior. Below table shows the buying behavior of small food processor and large corporate food processor which are as follows (Liplap et al., 2013): Buying behavior process Small Food processor Large corporate food processor Problem recognition Customer firstly identified the problem so that customer can have a reason to believe that what they want the small food processor. Customers search for the equipment which has high technology recognizes the problem. Description of needs After problem recognition, customer search process starts. Customer searches inner and outer business conditions to distinguish the sources identified with purchasing choice of customers. After recognizing the problem, customer requires the high technology equipment for the purpose the large food corporate processor. Specifications Saves time Body material Quality material Attachment storage Heavy machinery Storage Capacity Size Supplies search Distributors Public administration Acquisitions and proposals At this point, the customer has examined various options, they fathom assessing and portion decisions and they are picking whether to progress with the purchase or not. Hiperbaric has various high tech equipment and has technological focuses, worldwide reference in new and inventive nourishment items improvement, have this gear as Research and development tool. Evaluation and selection The next step in the buying process is the evaluation of alternatives. Customers offer the small food equipment which is easy to use and is affordable like for juicer, fruit products, chopping of vegetables. After evaluating the alternatives, customers adapt the equipment which can be used in the large production of food materials. Order process specification After the purchase has made by the customer, then company evaluate the decision which plays a big role in the loyalty of the product. Finally, purchasing the equipment then customer evaluates the decision whether the equipment performed in a right manner in order to fulfill the requirements. Thus, the above table explains the customer buying behavior in relates to Hiperbaric small and large food processor. The buying behavior process includes the several steps on which basis the customer evaluate their purchasing decision. The customer follows these buying process steps in order to know the actual requirements of the small food processor and large corporate food processor. The table also shows the buying criteria of the small and large food processor by which customer are able to evaluate the buying decision. Relationship analysis According to Sharma et al. (2010),relationship marketing focuses on building, maintain and enhance the relationship with the customers and other suppliers in order to meet their business objective. In order to analyze the customer relationship, six components of relationship model can be used to ensure that what customers want and evaluate how the suppliers are performing their roles. The fundamental target of any business is to pitch its items or administration to a client with a specific end goal to build their income and pay. The six segments of relationship show are put stock in, duty, correspondence, client benefit, long haul point of view and common advantages which are helpful in analyzing customer needs and the performance of supplier. Customer can follow these main components of relationship model to meet the requirements of the small food processor and large corporate food processor. Thus, in order to analyze the Hiperbaric customer relationship needs, this model can be use ful for understanding the customer relations are as follows: Components of relationship Small Food processor Larger corporate food processor Long term perspective Concentrate on looking through a provider that gives best an incentive at any given moment. Superior cost over administration quality which make them switch the clients effectively. Trust Customers hope to locate the best item for them at once as opposed to assuming that esteem will be conveyed in the administration. Due to exceedingly included and shared, generally safe exists that they will change due to prices. Commitment Customers are unwilling to pay cost for additional administration offerings. High level of coordinated effort and associations with the providers and putting resources into time and assets. Communication Correspondence of necessities, for example, low cost and process administration. High service demand for specialized equipment and expertise. Customer service Concentrate on giving answers for end customers. Building positive association with end-clients through connection made conceivable by Hiperbaric. Mutual benefits Positive word of mouth delivered by the customers in providing best value in the market. Coordinated effort may prompt a provider turning into an innovation pioneer inside the business. Thus, the above table of relationship analysis shows that relationship model plays an important role in analyzing the customer needs. This six component of the model help the customer to find their relationship needs and its preferences and also prefer the other relationship type that is the ladder of loyalty in order to build the relationship between the supplier and a customer. The six components of relationship can be described are as: Trust: The first component states that company should offer innovative and healthy products to their customers which result in enhancing their brand increase their goodwill and gain the trust of customers (Sheth, 2011). Commitment: Company is continuously making efforts to increase their customer base. For this purpose, a company helping the customers to develop innovative and high value-added products. Communication: For instance, Hiperbaric also has the other players in the high-pressure technology world which include teachers and scientist, public administration and distributors which promote their products and services (Snyder Diesing, 2015). Customer service: Customer service plays a big role in analyzing the success of the company. Company should provide the effective services to their customers and were able to meet their requirements. Long-term perspective: The innovative products of company create the new opportunities for expanding the market which enables the customers to have a long term perspective about the company products. Mutual benefits: This component ensures whether both the parties can get the advantages by making the efforts from both the sides that are customer and supplier. On the other side, the ladder of loyalty model can be preferred to analyze the Hiperbaric customer behavior. This model is commonly used to categorize a relationship between a customer and supplier. This model includes the collaborative and high connection, value-added and perceived value and transactional relationship with the other members. Company Analysis According to Weng et al. (2011), the current performances of Hiperbaric in building its relationship with their customers can be analyzed into two major factors are as follows that is a customer relationship management value chain, network map, and ARA model. Customer relationship management (CRM): Customer relationship administration is a basic business approach that consolidates inside strategies and capacities of the organization. Company should follow the customer relationship management with the aim to make the relations with the customers. CRM value chain Customer portfolio analysis Customer intimacy Network development Value proposition Manage the customer cycle Customer portfolio management: Concentration on small food and large food processor segments of organization which they see as attractive long term customers. Seen as the most gainful because of the quickly advancing innovation and collaborative exertion included. The company defines segments for all types of the customer before serving them which helps them to achieve efficiency in customer efficiency. Company athers a broad measure of types of gear all through the procedure of administration conveyance to all the two consumer segments. Providing services across vast geographical area. Company achieved its market in essentially four ways: being available at proficient occasions, taking an interest in the important organization, through its social network. The sales team attends the customer that comes from different sources. They also contact the customer by cold calling, event organization and much more. Advance technologies, innovative products with actionable insights. Organisation Hieperbaric is the exclusive example of customer life cycle management, as they assist the customer in using the product properly as well. They undertake all expectations through benchmarking, competitors' analysis and sentimental analysis. The above table shows the company analysis in building the relationship with their customers. The company analysis includes various components on which basis the performance of business can be seen that how company make their products more innovative and productive, the services provide to the customers, prices of products, their network development, interaction with customer and manage the customer cycle by the company. Thus, all these factor make a clear understanding to analyze the Hiperbaric company performance. Network Map: Network map is an industry is made up of groups of organizations that are working together to deliver end products or services to consumers. A network map includes the customers, competitors, suppliers and other relevant organizations. A network may also involve the activities that are occurring in the organizations. Hiperbaric made the network map with the small food processor and large corporate food processor in order to build the relationship and consider the activities that are taken in the organization. Below is the network map of Hiperbaric. ARA model: ARA model means actors, resources and activities. Key relationship bonds Hiperbaric company- a key supplier relationship of high pressure processing equipment in the food industry to manage the business online. Company providing websites in order to sell their products to the customers. Key activity Links In the appropriation arrange, every one of the sites that work in various locales of the world, shaping differing system associations. Key resource links Teachers and scientist- specialists in high weight and different advancements. They researched conceivable utilizations and uses of these strategies and learning. They were general members in fairs, discussions and congresses as speakers. Public administration-they were not an immediate high weight client; notwithstanding, they had rolled out administrative improvements in a few nations that had given an extraordinary push to the innovation in the nourishment business. Product development network Company works with various other industries so that they can deliver a site that works productively and viably all an opportunity to know the consumer tastes. Company developed an internet-based business management application for the customers. Company has built up a broad industrial network. Throughout the years, it has kept on developing its system and assemble significant movement and asset joins. The system permits assessment of viability in conveying items and administrations. Action joins demonstrate the specialized, managerial, business and different exercises that add to arrange associations.Conclusion From the report, it has been concluded Hiperbaric focuses on both the segments very efficiently. Company meets the customer needs, helping them to market innovative and healthy food products. The main strength of Hiperbaric Company is that they are customer-oriented, reliable and proactive towards the customer requirements. Company creates the opportunities for expanding the market. On the other part, the weakness factor Hiperbaric is the absence of satisfactory quality control and testing strategies, wasteful inventory network because of an extensive number of middle people. The threat factor to Hiperbaric company affordability and cultural preferences of products, high taxation and high inventory carrying cost. References Adjei, M. T., Noble, S. M., Noble, C. H. (2010). The influence of C2C communications in online brand communities on customer purchase behavior.Journal of the Academy ofMarketing Science,38(5), 634-653. Arturo Garza-Reyes, J., Eldridge, S., Barber, K. D., Soriano-Meier, H. (2010). Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and process capability (PC) measures a relationship analysis. International Journal of Quality Reliability Management,27(1), 48-62. Brennan, R. (2014).Business-to-business Marketing(pp. 83-86). Springer. New York. Foulds, M. (2016). Rapid changes in convenience food processing: convenience food processing.South African Food Review,43(3), 19-23. Liplap, P., Vigneault, C., Toivonen, P., Charles, M. T., Raghavan, G. V. (2013). Effect of hyperbaric pressure and temperature on respiration rates and quality attributes of tomato.Postharvest biology and technology,86, 240-248. Sharma, A., Iyer, G. R., Mehrotra, A., Krishnan, R. (2010). Sustainability and business-to-business marketing: A framework and implications.Industrial Marketing Management,39(2), 330-341. Sheth, J. N. (Ed.). (2011).Models of buyer behavior: conceptual, quantitative, and empirical. Marketing Classics Press. Snyder, G. H., Diesing, P. (2015).Conflict among nations: Bargaining, decision making, and system structure in international crises. Princeton University Press. USA. Weng, R. H., Huang, J. A., Kuo, Y. H., Huang, C. Y., Huang, Y. C. (2011). Determinants of technological innovation and its effect on hospital performance.African Journal of Business Management,5(11), 4314. Wind, Y., Thomas, R. J., Sheth, J. N. (2014).Organizational buying behavior. SAGE Publications. The United States.

Regionalism in Canadian Literature Essay Example

Regionalism in Canadian Literature Paper Top of Form 1 The term regionalism is an inevitable idea when it comes to Canadian literature and the never ending search for Canadian identity. The definition of regionalism in literature is said to be â€Å"fiction and poetry that focuses on the characters, dialect, customs, topography, and other features particular to a specific region† (Campbell). Northrop Frye, a respected Canadian literary critic, discusses the development of regionalism in Canadian literature and stresses â€Å"the importance of regions to the creative imagination, arguing that an imagination conditioned by prairie stretching to the horizon would develop differently from one shaped by the huge mountains and trees of British Columbia or by the churning sea around Newfoundland† (Fiamengo). is that experiencing the variety of environments that exist in Canada would cause Canadian authors of different regions to develop and emphasize the specific aspects associated with their particular region. In their writing, regionalism speaks to the characters of the novel and manipulates their identity to match the landscape and history of the region. This displays a true connection with the region and there is â€Å"no doubt that regionalism stems from a deep personal involvement with a particular place, a lived experience that is not available to the causal observer† (Jordan, 9). In the novels As for Me and My House by Sinclair Ross and The Diviners by Margaret Laurence aspects of regionalism are very prominent. We will write a custom essay sample on Regionalism in Canadian Literature specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Regionalism in Canadian Literature specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Regionalism in Canadian Literature specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The central characters in each novel develop identities which reflect the regions in which they live. Ross’ characters, Mr. and Mrs. Bentley, develop the hollow existence and aversive attitudes that are common in small prairie towns. Laurence’s characters, Morag and Pique Gunn, develop an identity that reflects the history of the land and the happenings associated with the imagined town of Manawaka. The forms of regionalism in these two novels foster the idea that â€Å"metaphor relates man to the world in which he lives. It is a connective image which at once reveals a disparity and an affinity. The connection moves between the human individual and the perceived order of the world; it is always at once particular and indicative of identity, pointing to cultural orientation† (Adamson). Sinclair Ross’ novel, As for Me and My House deals with the tired, repetitive nature of small prairie towns in western Canada and how this nature becomes regurgitated in the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Bentley. In this case, regionalism that is associated with the prairies focuses on the landscape. Historically, the first settlers of the prairies attempted to deal with the environment. They â€Å"responded by trying to force the foreign environment to conform to their familiar frames of reference, with little success† (Jordan, 93). This novel is a representation of the prairie life through and though. It is interesting how the name of any town or reference to a province is obsolete yet we get the true feelings associated with the prairies still. In his book Introduction to Sinclair Ross: As for Me and My House, Roy Daniells says, â€Å"although precise dates, places and historical events are avoided, there is no doubt that these pages present the prairies of the drought and the depression, the long succession of years between the two wars† (Daniells, ix). Regionalism is also represented in the historical happenings of the region. The specific outcomes that the depression and drought had on the prairie lands are outlined throughout the novel and add to the authenticity of the experiences. When speaking of the drought and the depression, Mrs. Bentley says, â€Å"It makes me wonder how things are going to be with us. The crop is the town’s bread and butter too; and the first place we are going to feel the pinch is the collection plate. We’re behind already with the car, and now that Steve’s here the store accounts will climb just twice as fast† (Ross, 75). When Mrs. Bentley exposes her financial worries to the readers, we truly get the feeling of her struggle to live comfortably in the prairie society. The economic struggle is a big theme in this novel and the prairies themselves. Amongst the failing of the collection plate, â€Å"the latter pages of the book are dominated by Mrs. Bentley’s attempts to recover a thousand dollars from the twenty-eight hundred owed to her husband by the towns he has served† (Davey, 34). As well, the mention of the farmers’ crops divulge more hardships that the land has brought upon it’s people. These experiences are none unlike the events experienced by the true prairie world in the past and continue to expose the regionalism with which Ross chooses to write. The vivid life that is given to the novel provokes the readers understand of the true struggle during the depression era and allows them to observe prairie life almost first-hand. The people of the prairies have to fight against the land and the elements to live a comfortable, satisfactory life. Regionalism is demonstrated here in the sense that the land of the prairie region is such a powerful force. The inhabitants have little choice but to have their identities moulded around these factors. Like the real world situation, Mr. and Mrs. Bentley, as well as the rest of the townspeople of Horizon, become shaped by factors such as these. The wind, the dust and the struggles with seasons all have a stake in making each character who they are or who they will become. It is said about this environment that â€Å"the vast emptiness envisioned by early settlers and writers has provided a ground for the dramatization of an existential conflict pitting the internal unity of human consciousness against the horrifying void of an unknowable external world† (Jordan, 94). In Canadian literature, this conflict is emphasized and the extent to which the land threatens identity becomes a reoccurring theme among Canadian fiction. As for Me and My House is an excellent example of this. The town itself seems to be depleted and hopeless. It is categorized by â€Å"broken sidewalks and rickety false fronts† (Ross, 5). Even the infrastructure seems to be suffering the external consequences. Mrs. Bentley’s diary entries capture all of these shortcomings and â€Å"the world that emerges through these entries is claustrophobic. The walls of the house stifle the inhabitants, not because they isolate those inside from the exterior world but because the world outside constantly seeps in through the doors and windows, through cracks in the walls, and through the roof only to remind the occupants of the prison that they have built for themselves† (Jordan, 95). Mrs. Bentley retreats to the outside world for relief, because no matter what, the land’s curse is inescapable. Even in her own home, comfort does not exist. Mrs. Bentley’s character suffers from this dreary lifestyle. Her use of language to describe the prairies is parallel to the words that are used to describe humanity itself. An excellent description of the harsh environment she endures is given to the reader at the beginning of the novel. She says, â€Å"It’s an immense night out there, wheeling and windy. The lights on the street and in the houses are helpless against the black wetness, little unilluminating glints that might be painted on it. The town seems huddled together, cowering on a high tiny perch, afraid to move lest it topple into the wind† (Ross, 4). In this sense, the land and its elements become a large metaphor for the people of the prairies. Words such as â€Å"helpless† and â€Å"cowering† are effective words to describe the people of Horizon. In his book Vertical Man/Horizontal World, Laurence Ricou explains Ross’ writing to be â€Å"the first in Canada to show a profound awareness of the metaphorical possibilities of the prairie landscape† (Ricou, 82). He also says that â€Å"the people of Horizon, as Mrs. Bentley describes them, mirror the physical environment’s dry and featureless visage, and yet they are not home in it† (Ricou, 82). This statement cleverly demonstrates how the aversive environment makes the townspeople, like Mrs. Finley, stern and non-personable. They are making ends meet, yet they are uncomfortable in their own lifestyle path. It is because of the environment that Mrs. Bentley seems to be passive and depressed. There is a scene that describes the Bentleys outside after a church service. She says, â€Å"mile after mile the wind poured by, and we were immersed and lost in it. I sat breathing from my throat, my muscles tense. To relax, I felt, would be to let the walls around me crumple in† (Ross, 52). Mrs. Bentley is represented as inferior to the wind and its forces. She is presented to the reader in a feeble light, almost as if her existence could vanish at any moment. In this sense she has become helpless against the life she chose. Her ability to do what she desires is quite limited by the physical environment as â€Å"the wind carries the totality of possibilities which life offers, possibilities which cannot be grasped or merely pass unnoticed† (Ricou, 85). This implies that Mrs. Bentley sees what she is missing in her life and understands her missed opportunities, but can do little about this because her whole existence has been spent moving from one little prairie town to another. She is vulnerable and stagnant in the prairie society as she practices the same routines each day and becomes engulfed in the land as sacrifice. In her diary, Mrs. Bentley seems to focus too much on weather elements and she uses â€Å"the prairie constantly as a mirror of her own fears, frustrations, and helplessness† (Kreisel, 260). It is her fixation with the wind, rain and dust that lets the reader assume that many people of that region are â€Å"possessed by the prairie,† giving up their â€Å"mind and body as it if were an extension of it† (Kreisel, 262). It is clear of the implications of the region upon its people, like Mrs. Bentley, and it’s development into regionalism. Philip also suffers from the consequences of landscape and the prairie’s harsh physical environment. It causes him to retreat into his study and allow his relationship with his wife to diminish as he â€Å"turns inward in an attempt to find a refuge from the emptiness of the prairie† (Jordan, 96). In order to escape his fate he turns to art in the forms of writing and painting. Unfortunately his attempt to break loose from the constraints of the environment seem to confine him even more. He lives a life that is devoted to expressing his feelings on the prairies though his art. Even in the solitude of his private study, the prairies invade his thoughts. This life that he turns to is â€Å"no less stifling than the world of Horizon† (Jordan, 96). His pictures very much resemble the land as it is depicted in the novel and therefore reflect not only the real setting but Philip’s identity as well. Mrs. Bentley describes one picture as â€Å"a good job, if it’s good in a picture to make you feel terror and pity and desolation† (Ross, 219). These feelings that arise in Mrs. Bentley when she studies the picture are also the feelings that Philip feels about the external prairie. Philip’s character is now seen in a dark light, one that is colored by hopelessness and â€Å"emotional and intellectual suffocation† (Ricou, 86). As well as art, religion and the puritan lifestyle of the prairies in the depression era forge the identities of the people. Philip is portrayed in the diary as a soul tormented by his religious lifestyle. He is regretfully the â€Å"embodiment of the puritan temperament, the product of his environment and much more a part of it then he would ever admit† (Kreisel, 264). He cannot shake loose from this destiny and he â€Å"pretends to be what he can never be, for the sake of a meagre existence, and yet he is heartsick with awareness of the futility of his pretense† (Ricou, 84). It is said that â€Å"prairie puritanism is one result of the conquest of the land, part of the price exacted from conquest. Like the theme of the conquest of the land, the theme of the imprisoned spirit dominates serious prairie writing, and is connected with it† (Kreisel, 265). The regionalism that is associated with this strict lifestyle is reflected by how the characters demonstrate the puritan ideal. In her novel, The Diviners, Margaret Laurence also writes with an emphasis on regionalism. Both Morag Gunn and her daughter, Pique, are adamant on establishing a sense of identity. On this search for identity, both characters are influenced by the region that they have been subjected to. Margaret Laurence’s small town of Manawaka is one of the greatest fictional towns in Canadian literature. Laurence has carried this town through in many of her novels and her geographical creation is said to be â€Å"deeply rooted in the author’s hometown of Neepawa in the Province of Manitoba† and â€Å"at the same time an amalgam of many prairie towns† (Tsutsumi, 307). In examining the nature of Manawaka and its influence on its people â€Å"the reader is required to have a fair grasp of not only the physical but also the mental, spiritual, historical and cultural peculiarities of the region† (Tsutsumi. 307). This refers to the aspects of regionalism that have the potential to be analyzed within the town of Manawaka. Laurence gives the town a vividly real landscape and a rich historical background and â€Å"after five books, the town of Manawaka can be specifically mapped. It geography is precise and consistent, and there are now many landmarks in the town. The cemetery, the garbage dump and the valley where the Tonnerres have their shacks are all on the outskirts of Manawaka† (Thomas, 180-81). Manawaka â€Å"acts as a setting for the dilemmas of its unique individuals and also exercising its own powerful dynamic on them† (Thomas, 174). The characters experience many events due to the town’s historical roots and values and ultimately, characters tend to grow apart from the sullen town. However, this growth is purely physical because Canadian towns, such as the fictional Manawaka, tend to leave a mark and a great impression on its inhabitants. The characters that are involved with the town â€Å"carry Manawaka with them, its constraints and inhibitions, but also its sense of roots, of ancestors, and of a past that is living still, both it’s achievements and its tragic errors† (Thomas, 177). In The Diviners, both Morag and Pique feel the need leave their prairie towns and therefore, the setting of Manawaka exists only in past reference. Regardless of this, it consumes their lives. It is because of this that â€Å"Manawaka as a setting constitutes only one third of the story, but the region follows the heroine wherever she goes, enriched by each of her experiences while the heroine pursues her path leading to the art of ‘divining’. The visions Laurence created with her magic rod of divining are regional in their details† (Tsutsumi, 312). All these aspects make Manawaka what it has become in the world of Canadian literature. It represents the foundation for all of Laurence’s achievements as it is embedded so deeply into her personal roots as well as her characters’ roots. â€Å"Manawaka was Laurence’s time and place, and she set herself to get it ‘exactly right’. Her success fulfills the prophecy of the closing line in one of her undergraduate poems: ‘this land will be my immortality’†(Morley, 139). A statement such as this demonstrates the extreme to which Laurence is connected to this prairie land, and also the town as a reflection of other Canadian prairie towns. Regionalism is portrayed here in it’s fullest. With regard to the region, as any true prairie town, Manawaka is complete with tales of historical trials and tribulations. The people of the town emphasize history and relish it’s significance in their lives. These tales are used to refer to historical events throughout the novel. They surround the town and demonstrate to the reader the true nature of it’s heritage. The stories told and celebrated by Christie Logan and the Tonnerre family emphasize the historical implications of the battles that were fought on the land and are manipulated just enough to give them a small town twist. By telling the stories of Piper Gunn and Rider Tonnerre, â€Å"it is made clear that the townspeople incorporate in their bones and blood a far longer span of history than the town’s, one that comes down from the time of the Highland Clearances and from before the settlement of the West, and is landmarked by battlesBatoche, Bourlon, Wood, and Dieppe† (Thomas, 187). Laurence uses these stories as a catalyst in both Morag and Pique’s search for identity and belonging. The greatest journey in this novel is the quest for identity and â€Å"Morag Gunn is trying to reconcile an inner autochthonous nature and an outer assumed persona, one which is formed and fostered by the society in which she lives. The dichotomy is between nature and civilization, and true identity can only come with a fusion of the two elements of our human experience† (Adamson). In this sense, the society in which she lives is portrayed when â€Å"history and legend merge in Morag’s pictures of herself as a small child† (Morley, 119). Morag identifies with the story of Piper Gunn and â€Å"the ancestral heritage characterized by the stern Calvinism of Scottish Presbyterian Protestantism as well as the tribal pride symbolized by tartan checks and kilts† (Tsutsumi, 310). It takes a great many years before Morag understands and associates these legends and truths with her development into an adult woman. The region that she grew up hating had one of the most significant impacts on her life. It is the stories of her land that first encourage a young Morag to jot down poems and stories in her scribbler. Laurence gives specific mention to this new hobby when she says, â€Å"Morag is working on another story as well. She does not know where it came from. It comes into your head, and when you write it down, it surprises you, because you never knew what was going to happen until you put it down† (Laurence, 100). At this instance, Morag seems to find an excitement and a novelty in writing. Christie’s stories of her ancestors and the land inspire her, and her career as a writer begins here. As well as being a springboard for Morag’s future, these stories emphasize to the reader the social class system that exists in small towns such as Manawaka. The tales are an extended metaphor for this inequality throughout the novel, as well as a metaphor for the importance of identity. In his article, Arthur Adamson says, â€Å"it is not description of prairie scenery or of the Precambrian Shield that makes a regional writer, but the ability to translate descriptive elements into metaphor, to reveal the reality of the confrontation of nature and civilization† (Adamson). The nature of the people in this region and their living patterns are the aspects that separate Morag and Jules from the rest of the town. It is said that, â€Å"The Diviners portrays class prejudice in an ostensibly democratic society. Attempts to humiliate Morag only encourage her inner toughness† (Morley, 123). This also demonstrates to the reader how the town’s ignorance to the less fortunate helps her to develop that strong exterior that allows her to contend with difficulties bigger than the small town gossip of Manawaka and other prairie towns. The town â€Å"presents a false image of respectability, first seen in the social elements of Manawaka: the residential area as opposed to the nuisance grounds and the half breed dwellings† (Adamson). It’s attitude towards the outcasts is kept socially hidden by some of the more prominent townspeople but Morag sees through this. The treatment of these people, such as the Tonnerres, resemble similar occurrences in many small prairie towns. With regard to this vicious social stratification, â€Å"Manawaka’s was a swiftly forming social system, based on thrift, hard work, pressure to conform to the patterns of respectability, and, above all, financial success† (Thomas, 184). This regionalistic factor becomes extended throughout the novel. Pique also feels the pressure of being different. There is an instance in the novel that Pique complains to her mother about the kids at school teasing her about her heritage. She struggles with her mixed race and â€Å"carries in her veins a heritage that she does not yet understand but is unwilling and unable to reject† (Morley, 119). This is due to the fact that â€Å"Laurence’s fiction accurately depicts the general contempt with which the Metis were regarded in the latter part of the nineteenth century, and the twentieth† (Morley, 143). The region’s heritage was, and will always truly be based on the native peoples. The new settlers in the land, which are spoken about in the tales of Piper and Rider, are the people who abolished these culturally rich tribes. The townspeople in this novel continue to have these narrow views on the ones they call â€Å"half-breeds† and therefore, The Diviners is an accurate depiction of the region and the prairies. Pique is the connection of two important cultures and â€Å"when Pique sings her own song at the end of the story, the two traditions are fused together and she will become an inheritor† (Tsutsumi, 311). The nature of regionalism in this novel is the historical importance of the people and the land. It encourages both Morag and Pique to discover their significant heritages and enables them to remain connected with their prairie lands regardless of their current living situations. There is no doubt that â€Å"no town in our literature has been so consistently and extensively developed as Margaret Laurence’s Manawaka. Through five works of fiction, it has grown as a vividly realized, microcosmic world† (Thomas, 174). It is quite evident that regionalism plays a major part in Canadian literature. In its many forms it brings a region to life for the author, the reader, and most importantly, the characters. A region can seem like a simple backdrop to the story-line until it is analyzed by the reader. On a second glance, a region contains many aspects, specific to it’s domain, that become one with its land and the inhabitants. In the Canadian novel, its influence on character is very prominent. The ability of the region to shape one’s identity is the central idea of regionalism. In the novels As for Me and My House by Sinclair Ross and The Diviners by Margaret Laurence, the environment plays a large role in the definition of identity. Ross’ characters, Mr. and Mrs. Bentley, find themselves lost in the void of the prairie and they become emblematic of the land in which they occupy. In this sense, their identity is a mere flicker in the emptiness of the prairie that demonstrates a hollow existence. Laurence’s characters, Morag and Pique Gunn both derive their identities from the heritage that they have inherited from their ancestors. In doing so, they come to understand the significance of the historical events of the region and appreciate the land in which they live. Each of these outcomes deal with the prairie life and, although they re quite different, they are a truly symbolic to the region. It is by using metaphor that Ross and Laurence are brilliantly able to achieve such strong regional statements. Their metaphors effectively express prairie life and the characteristics associated with it. Works CitedAdamson, Arthur. Identity Through Metaphor: An Approach to the Question of Regionalism in Canadian Literature Studies in Canadian Literature. 5. 1 (1980). 11 Feb. 2010. Campbell, Donna M. Regionalism and Local Color Fiction, 1865-1895. Literary Movements. 22 May 2007. 7 Feb. 010. .Daniells, Roy. â€Å"Introduction. † As for Me and My House. Ed. Malcolm Ross. Toronto, ON: McClelland Stewart, 1957. v-x. Davey, Frank. â€Å"The Conflicting Signs of As for Me and My House. † From the Heart of the Heartland: The Fiction of Sinclair Ross. Ed. John Moss. Ottawa, ON: University of Ottawa Press, 1992. 25-37. Jordan, David M. â€Å"Introduction. † New World Regionalism: Literature in the Americas. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press Incorporated, 1994. 3-10. Jordan, David M. â€Å"The Canadian Prairie: Sinclair Ross’s As for Me and My House. New World Regionalism: Literature in the Americas. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press Incorporated, 1 994. 93-97. Kreisel, Henry. â€Å"The Prairie: A State of Mind. † Contexts of Canadian Criticism. Ed. Eli Mandel. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press, 1971. 254-266. Laurence, Margaret. The Diviners. Toronto, ON: McClelland Stewart, 2007. Morley, Patricia. Margaret Laurence. Boston : Twayne Publishers, 1981. Ricou, Laurence. â€Å"The Prairie Internalized: The Fiction of Sinclair Ross. † Vertical Man/Horizontal World. British Columbia: University of British Columbia Press, 1974. 1-94. Ross, Sinclair. As for Me and My House. Toronto, ON: McClelland Stewart, 2008. Thomas, Clara. The Manawaka World of Margaret Laurence. Toronto: McClelland Stewart, 1975. Tsutsumi, Toshiko. â€Å"Regionalism, Nationalism and Internationalism in Margaret Laurence. † Nationalism vs. Internationalism. Ed. Wolfgang Zach. Tubingen: Stauffenburg, 1996. 307-312. Fiamengo, Janice. Regionalism and urbanism. The Cambridge Companion to Canadian Literature. Ed. Eva-Marie Kroller. C ambridge University Press, 2004. Cambridge Collections Online. 16 Feb. 2010. Regionalism in Canadian Literature Essay Example Regionalism in Canadian Literature Essay Top of Form 1 The term regionalism is an inevitable idea when it comes to Canadian literature and the never ending search for Canadian identity. The definition of regionalism in literature is said to be â€Å"fiction and poetry that focuses on the characters, dialect, customs, topography, and other features particular to a specific region† (Campbell). Northrop Frye, a respected Canadian literary critic, discusses the development of regionalism in Canadian literature and stresses â€Å"the importance of regions to the creative imagination, arguing that an imagination conditioned by prairie stretching to the horizon would develop differently from one shaped by the huge mountains and trees of British Columbia or by the churning sea around Newfoundland† (Fiamengo). is that experiencing the variety of environments that exist in Canada would cause Canadian authors of different regions to develop and emphasize the specific aspects associated with their particular region. In their writing, regionalism speaks to the characters of the novel and manipulates their identity to match the landscape and history of the region. This displays a true connection with the region and there is â€Å"no doubt that regionalism stems from a deep personal involvement with a particular place, a lived experience that is not available to the causal observer† (Jordan, 9). In the novels As for Me and My House by Sinclair Ross and The Diviners by Margaret Laurence aspects of regionalism are very prominent. We will write a custom essay sample on Regionalism in Canadian Literature specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Regionalism in Canadian Literature specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Regionalism in Canadian Literature specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The central characters in each novel develop identities which reflect the regions in which they live. Ross’ characters, Mr. and Mrs. Bentley, develop the hollow existence and aversive attitudes that are common in small prairie towns. Laurence’s characters, Morag and Pique Gunn, develop an identity that reflects the history of the land and the happenings associated with the imagined town of Manawaka. The forms of regionalism in these two novels foster the idea that â€Å"metaphor relates man to the world in which he lives. It is a connective image which at once reveals a disparity and an affinity. The connection moves between the human individual and the perceived order of the world; it is always at once particular and indicative of identity, pointing to cultural orientation† (Adamson). Sinclair Ross’ novel, As for Me and My House deals with the tired, repetitive nature of small prairie towns in western Canada and how this nature becomes regurgitated in the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Bentley. In this case, regionalism that is associated with the prairies focuses on the landscape. Historically, the first settlers of the prairies attempted to deal with the environment. They â€Å"responded by trying to force the foreign environment to conform to their familiar frames of reference, with little success† (Jordan, 93). This novel is a representation of the prairie life through and though. It is interesting how the name of any town or reference to a province is obsolete yet we get the true feelings associated with the prairies still. In his book Introduction to Sinclair Ross: As for Me and My House, Roy Daniells says, â€Å"although precise dates, places and historical events are avoided, there is no doubt that these pages present the prairies of the drought and the depression, the long succession of years between the two wars† (Daniells, ix). Regionalism is also represented in the historical happenings of the region. The specific outcomes that the depression and drought had on the prairie lands are outlined throughout the novel and add to the authenticity of the experiences. When speaking of the drought and the depression, Mrs. Bentley says, â€Å"It makes me wonder how things are going to be with us. The crop is the town’s bread and butter too; and the first place we are going to feel the pinch is the collection plate. We’re behind already with the car, and now that Steve’s here the store accounts will climb just twice as fast† (Ross, 75). When Mrs. Bentley exposes her financial worries to the readers, we truly get the feeling of her struggle to live comfortably in the prairie society. The economic struggle is a big theme in this novel and the prairies themselves. Amongst the failing of the collection plate, â€Å"the latter pages of the book are dominated by Mrs. Bentley’s attempts to recover a thousand dollars from the twenty-eight hundred owed to her husband by the towns he has served† (Davey, 34). As well, the mention of the farmers’ crops divulge more hardships that the land has brought upon it’s people. These experiences are none unlike the events experienced by the true prairie world in the past and continue to expose the regionalism with which Ross chooses to write. The vivid life that is given to the novel provokes the readers understand of the true struggle during the depression era and allows them to observe prairie life almost first-hand. The people of the prairies have to fight against the land and the elements to live a comfortable, satisfactory life. Regionalism is demonstrated here in the sense that the land of the prairie region is such a powerful force. The inhabitants have little choice but to have their identities moulded around these factors. Like the real world situation, Mr. and Mrs. Bentley, as well as the rest of the townspeople of Horizon, become shaped by factors such as these. The wind, the dust and the struggles with seasons all have a stake in making each character who they are or who they will become. It is said about this environment that â€Å"the vast emptiness envisioned by early settlers and writers has provided a ground for the dramatization of an existential conflict pitting the internal unity of human consciousness against the horrifying void of an unknowable external world† (Jordan, 94). In Canadian literature, this conflict is emphasized and the extent to which the land threatens identity becomes a reoccurring theme among Canadian fiction. As for Me and My House is an excellent example of this. The town itself seems to be depleted and hopeless. It is categorized by â€Å"broken sidewalks and rickety false fronts† (Ross, 5). Even the infrastructure seems to be suffering the external consequences. Mrs. Bentley’s diary entries capture all of these shortcomings and â€Å"the world that emerges through these entries is claustrophobic. The walls of the house stifle the inhabitants, not because they isolate those inside from the exterior world but because the world outside constantly seeps in through the doors and windows, through cracks in the walls, and through the roof only to remind the occupants of the prison that they have built for themselves† (Jordan, 95). Mrs. Bentley retreats to the outside world for relief, because no matter what, the land’s curse is inescapable. Even in her own home, comfort does not exist. Mrs. Bentley’s character suffers from this dreary lifestyle. Her use of language to describe the prairies is parallel to the words that are used to describe humanity itself. An excellent description of the harsh environment she endures is given to the reader at the beginning of the novel. She says, â€Å"It’s an immense night out there, wheeling and windy. The lights on the street and in the houses are helpless against the black wetness, little unilluminating glints that might be painted on it. The town seems huddled together, cowering on a high tiny perch, afraid to move lest it topple into the wind† (Ross, 4). In this sense, the land and its elements become a large metaphor for the people of the prairies. Words such as â€Å"helpless† and â€Å"cowering† are effective words to describe the people of Horizon. In his book Vertical Man/Horizontal World, Laurence Ricou explains Ross’ writing to be â€Å"the first in Canada to show a profound awareness of the metaphorical possibilities of the prairie landscape† (Ricou, 82). He also says that â€Å"the people of Horizon, as Mrs. Bentley describes them, mirror the physical environment’s dry and featureless visage, and yet they are not home in it† (Ricou, 82). This statement cleverly demonstrates how the aversive environment makes the townspeople, like Mrs. Finley, stern and non-personable. They are making ends meet, yet they are uncomfortable in their own lifestyle path. It is because of the environment that Mrs. Bentley seems to be passive and depressed. There is a scene that describes the Bentleys outside after a church service. She says, â€Å"mile after mile the wind poured by, and we were immersed and lost in it. I sat breathing from my throat, my muscles tense. To relax, I felt, would be to let the walls around me crumple in† (Ross, 52). Mrs. Bentley is represented as inferior to the wind and its forces. She is presented to the reader in a feeble light, almost as if her existence could vanish at any moment. In this sense she has become helpless against the life she chose. Her ability to do what she desires is quite limited by the physical environment as â€Å"the wind carries the totality of possibilities which life offers, possibilities which cannot be grasped or merely pass unnoticed† (Ricou, 85). This implies that Mrs. Bentley sees what she is missing in her life and understands her missed opportunities, but can do little about this because her whole existence has been spent moving from one little prairie town to another. She is vulnerable and stagnant in the prairie society as she practices the same routines each day and becomes engulfed in the land as sacrifice. In her diary, Mrs. Bentley seems to focus too much on weather elements and she uses â€Å"the prairie constantly as a mirror of her own fears, frustrations, and helplessness† (Kreisel, 260). It is her fixation with the wind, rain and dust that lets the reader assume that many people of that region are â€Å"possessed by the prairie,† giving up their â€Å"mind and body as it if were an extension of it† (Kreisel, 262). It is clear of the implications of the region upon its people, like Mrs. Bentley, and it’s development into regionalism. Philip also suffers from the consequences of landscape and the prairie’s harsh physical environment. It causes him to retreat into his study and allow his relationship with his wife to diminish as he â€Å"turns inward in an attempt to find a refuge from the emptiness of the prairie† (Jordan, 96). In order to escape his fate he turns to art in the forms of writing and painting. Unfortunately his attempt to break loose from the constraints of the environment seem to confine him even more. He lives a life that is devoted to expressing his feelings on the prairies though his art. Even in the solitude of his private study, the prairies invade his thoughts. This life that he turns to is â€Å"no less stifling than the world of Horizon† (Jordan, 96). His pictures very much resemble the land as it is depicted in the novel and therefore reflect not only the real setting but Philip’s identity as well. Mrs. Bentley describes one picture as â€Å"a good job, if it’s good in a picture to make you feel terror and pity and desolation† (Ross, 219). These feelings that arise in Mrs. Bentley when she studies the picture are also the feelings that Philip feels about the external prairie. Philip’s character is now seen in a dark light, one that is colored by hopelessness and â€Å"emotional and intellectual suffocation† (Ricou, 86). As well as art, religion and the puritan lifestyle of the prairies in the depression era forge the identities of the people. Philip is portrayed in the diary as a soul tormented by his religious lifestyle. He is regretfully the â€Å"embodiment of the puritan temperament, the product of his environment and much more a part of it then he would ever admit† (Kreisel, 264). He cannot shake loose from this destiny and he â€Å"pretends to be what he can never be, for the sake of a meagre existence, and yet he is heartsick with awareness of the futility of his pretense† (Ricou, 84). It is said that â€Å"prairie puritanism is one result of the conquest of the land, part of the price exacted from conquest. Like the theme of the conquest of the land, the theme of the imprisoned spirit dominates serious prairie writing, and is connected with it† (Kreisel, 265). The regionalism that is associated with this strict lifestyle is reflected by how the characters demonstrate the puritan ideal. In her novel, The Diviners, Margaret Laurence also writes with an emphasis on regionalism. Both Morag Gunn and her daughter, Pique, are adamant on establishing a sense of identity. On this search for identity, both characters are influenced by the region that they have been subjected to. Margaret Laurence’s small town of Manawaka is one of the greatest fictional towns in Canadian literature. Laurence has carried this town through in many of her novels and her geographical creation is said to be â€Å"deeply rooted in the author’s hometown of Neepawa in the Province of Manitoba† and â€Å"at the same time an amalgam of many prairie towns† (Tsutsumi, 307). In examining the nature of Manawaka and its influence on its people â€Å"the reader is required to have a fair grasp of not only the physical but also the mental, spiritual, historical and cultural peculiarities of the region† (Tsutsumi. 307). This refers to the aspects of regionalism that have the potential to be analyzed within the town of Manawaka. Laurence gives the town a vividly real landscape and a rich historical background and â€Å"after five books, the town of Manawaka can be specifically mapped. It geography is precise and consistent, and there are now many landmarks in the town. The cemetery, the garbage dump and the valley where the Tonnerres have their shacks are all on the outskirts of Manawaka† (Thomas, 180-81). Manawaka â€Å"acts as a setting for the dilemmas of its unique individuals and also exercising its own powerful dynamic on them† (Thomas, 174). The characters experience many events due to the town’s historical roots and values and ultimately, characters tend to grow apart from the sullen town. However, this growth is purely physical because Canadian towns, such as the fictional Manawaka, tend to leave a mark and a great impression on its inhabitants. The characters that are involved with the town â€Å"carry Manawaka with them, its constraints and inhibitions, but also its sense of roots, of ancestors, and of a past that is living still, both it’s achievements and its tragic errors† (Thomas, 177). In The Diviners, both Morag and Pique feel the need leave their prairie towns and therefore, the setting of Manawaka exists only in past reference. Regardless of this, it consumes their lives. It is because of this that â€Å"Manawaka as a setting constitutes only one third of the story, but the region follows the heroine wherever she goes, enriched by each of her experiences while the heroine pursues her path leading to the art of ‘divining’. The visions Laurence created with her magic rod of divining are regional in their details† (Tsutsumi, 312). All these aspects make Manawaka what it has become in the world of Canadian literature. It represents the foundation for all of Laurence’s achievements as it is embedded so deeply into her personal roots as well as her characters’ roots. â€Å"Manawaka was Laurence’s time and place, and she set herself to get it ‘exactly right’. Her success fulfills the prophecy of the closing line in one of her undergraduate poems: ‘this land will be my immortality’†(Morley, 139). A statement such as this demonstrates the extreme to which Laurence is connected to this prairie land, and also the town as a reflection of other Canadian prairie towns. Regionalism is portrayed here in it’s fullest. With regard to the region, as any true prairie town, Manawaka is complete with tales of historical trials and tribulations. The people of the town emphasize history and relish it’s significance in their lives. These tales are used to refer to historical events throughout the novel. They surround the town and demonstrate to the reader the true nature of it’s heritage. The stories told and celebrated by Christie Logan and the Tonnerre family emphasize the historical implications of the battles that were fought on the land and are manipulated just enough to give them a small town twist. By telling the stories of Piper Gunn and Rider Tonnerre, â€Å"it is made clear that the townspeople incorporate in their bones and blood a far longer span of history than the town’s, one that comes down from the time of the Highland Clearances and from before the settlement of the West, and is landmarked by battlesBatoche, Bourlon, Wood, and Dieppe† (Thomas, 187). Laurence uses these stories as a catalyst in both Morag and Pique’s search for identity and belonging. The greatest journey in this novel is the quest for identity and â€Å"Morag Gunn is trying to reconcile an inner autochthonous nature and an outer assumed persona, one which is formed and fostered by the society in which she lives. The dichotomy is between nature and civilization, and true identity can only come with a fusion of the two elements of our human experience† (Adamson). In this sense, the society in which she lives is portrayed when â€Å"history and legend merge in Morag’s pictures of herself as a small child† (Morley, 119). Morag identifies with the story of Piper Gunn and â€Å"the ancestral heritage characterized by the stern Calvinism of Scottish Presbyterian Protestantism as well as the tribal pride symbolized by tartan checks and kilts† (Tsutsumi, 310). It takes a great many years before Morag understands and associates these legends and truths with her development into an adult woman. The region that she grew up hating had one of the most significant impacts on her life. It is the stories of her land that first encourage a young Morag to jot down poems and stories in her scribbler. Laurence gives specific mention to this new hobby when she says, â€Å"Morag is working on another story as well. She does not know where it came from. It comes into your head, and when you write it down, it surprises you, because you never knew what was going to happen until you put it down† (Laurence, 100). At this instance, Morag seems to find an excitement and a novelty in writing. Christie’s stories of her ancestors and the land inspire her, and her career as a writer begins here. As well as being a springboard for Morag’s future, these stories emphasize to the reader the social class system that exists in small towns such as Manawaka. The tales are an extended metaphor for this inequality throughout the novel, as well as a metaphor for the importance of identity. In his article, Arthur Adamson says, â€Å"it is not description of prairie scenery or of the Precambrian Shield that makes a regional writer, but the ability to translate descriptive elements into metaphor, to reveal the reality of the confrontation of nature and civilization† (Adamson). The nature of the people in this region and their living patterns are the aspects that separate Morag and Jules from the rest of the town. It is said that, â€Å"The Diviners portrays class prejudice in an ostensibly democratic society. Attempts to humiliate Morag only encourage her inner toughness† (Morley, 123). This also demonstrates to the reader how the town’s ignorance to the less fortunate helps her to develop that strong exterior that allows her to contend with difficulties bigger than the small town gossip of Manawaka and other prairie towns. The town â€Å"presents a false image of respectability, first seen in the social elements of Manawaka: the residential area as opposed to the nuisance grounds and the half breed dwellings† (Adamson). It’s attitude towards the outcasts is kept socially hidden by some of the more prominent townspeople but Morag sees through this. The treatment of these people, such as the Tonnerres, resemble similar occurrences in many small prairie towns. With regard to this vicious social stratification, â€Å"Manawaka’s was a swiftly forming social system, based on thrift, hard work, pressure to conform to the patterns of respectability, and, above all, financial success† (Thomas, 184). This regionalistic factor becomes extended throughout the novel. Pique also feels the pressure of being different. There is an instance in the novel that Pique complains to her mother about the kids at school teasing her about her heritage. She struggles with her mixed race and â€Å"carries in her veins a heritage that she does not yet understand but is unwilling and unable to reject† (Morley, 119). This is due to the fact that â€Å"Laurence’s fiction accurately depicts the general contempt with which the Metis were regarded in the latter part of the nineteenth century, and the twentieth† (Morley, 143). The region’s heritage was, and will always truly be based on the native peoples. The new settlers in the land, which are spoken about in the tales of Piper and Rider, are the people who abolished these culturally rich tribes. The townspeople in this novel continue to have these narrow views on the ones they call â€Å"half-breeds† and therefore, The Diviners is an accurate depiction of the region and the prairies. Pique is the connection of two important cultures and â€Å"when Pique sings her own song at the end of the story, the two traditions are fused together and she will become an inheritor† (Tsutsumi, 311). The nature of regionalism in this novel is the historical importance of the people and the land. It encourages both Morag and Pique to discover their significant heritages and enables them to remain connected with their prairie lands regardless of their current living situations. There is no doubt that â€Å"no town in our literature has been so consistently and extensively developed as Margaret Laurence’s Manawaka. Through five works of fiction, it has grown as a vividly realized, microcosmic world† (Thomas, 174). It is quite evident that regionalism plays a major part in Canadian literature. In its many forms it brings a region to life for the author, the reader, and most importantly, the characters. A region can seem like a simple backdrop to the story-line until it is analyzed by the reader. On a second glance, a region contains many aspects, specific to it’s domain, that become one with its land and the inhabitants. In the Canadian novel, its influence on character is very prominent. The ability of the region to shape one’s identity is the central idea of regionalism. In the novels As for Me and My House by Sinclair Ross and The Diviners by Margaret Laurence, the environment plays a large role in the definition of identity. Ross’ characters, Mr. and Mrs. Bentley, find themselves lost in the void of the prairie and they become emblematic of the land in which they occupy. In this sense, their identity is a mere flicker in the emptiness of the prairie that demonstrates a hollow existence. Laurence’s characters, Morag and Pique Gunn both derive their identities from the heritage that they have inherited from their ancestors. In doing so, they come to understand the significance of the historical events of the region and appreciate the land in which they live. Each of these outcomes deal with the prairie life and, although they re quite different, they are a truly symbolic to the region. It is by using metaphor that Ross and Laurence are brilliantly able to achieve such strong regional statements. Their metaphors effectively express prairie life and the characteristics associated with it. Works CitedAdamson, Arthur. Identity Through Metaphor: An Approach to the Question of Regionalism in Canadian Literature Studies in Canadian Literature. 5. 1 (1980). 11 Feb. 2010. Campbell, Donna M. Regionalism and Local Color Fiction, 1865-1895. Literary Movements. 22 May 2007. 7 Feb. 010. .Daniells, Roy. â€Å"Introduction. † As for Me and My House. Ed. Malcolm Ross. Toronto, ON: McClelland Stewart, 1957. v-x. Davey, Frank. â€Å"The Conflicting Signs of As for Me and My House. † From the Heart of the Heartland: The Fiction of Sinclair Ross. Ed. John Moss. Ottawa, ON: University of Ottawa Press, 1992. 25-37. Jordan, David M. â€Å"Introduction. † New World Regionalism: Literature in the Americas. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press Incorporated, 1994. 3-10. Jordan, David M. â€Å"The Canadian Prairie: Sinclair Ross’s As for Me and My House. New World Regionalism: Literature in the Americas. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press Incorporated, 1 994. 93-97. Kreisel, Henry. â€Å"The Prairie: A State of Mind. † Contexts of Canadian Criticism. Ed. Eli Mandel. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press, 1971. 254-266. Laurence, Margaret. The Diviners. Toronto, ON: McClelland Stewart, 2007. Morley, Patricia. Margaret Laurence. Boston : Twayne Publishers, 1981. Ricou, Laurence. â€Å"The Prairie Internalized: The Fiction of Sinclair Ross. † Vertical Man/Horizontal World. British Columbia: University of British Columbia Press, 1974. 1-94. Ross, Sinclair. As for Me and My House. Toronto, ON: McClelland Stewart, 2008. Thomas, Clara. The Manawaka World of Margaret Laurence. Toronto: McClelland Stewart, 1975. Tsutsumi, Toshiko. â€Å"Regionalism, Nationalism and Internationalism in Margaret Laurence. † Nationalism vs. Internationalism. Ed. Wolfgang Zach. Tubingen: Stauffenburg, 1996. 307-312. Fiamengo, Janice. Regionalism and urbanism. The Cambridge Companion to Canadian Literature. Ed. Eva-Marie Kroller. C ambridge University Press, 2004. Cambridge Collections Online. 16 Feb. 2010.