Analysis Of The Boat By Alistair Macleod

Alistair Macleod’s “The Boat,” depicts the need for advancement and revival in native inhabitants. Macleod’s representation of nature equates to the tradition and legacy of the past generations. Tradition evolves from being the essential mechanism that defies advancement to ironically inspiring advancement. Generally, the burden of tradition suppresses ambition in the father, provides approval for the mother’s dislike of advancement, and essentially initiates revival in the native inhabitants.

The burden of tradition and legacy hinders the father’s advancement and rather causes more disorder in the fathers’ life. Macleod portrays suppression of ambition in the father: “his red-soled rubber boots to the shaggy whiteness of his hair”. Macleod’s

Utilization of the mother’s “maiden name” for the boat is signifying the continuation of legacy and tradition. Macleod’s portrayal of the name being “stenciled in black” (224) while the entire boat is light green is contrasting in the sense that black connotes negativity and light green is symbolistic of life. The boat is representative of the father and within the father’ life, the mother has limited the father into obligations and not advancement. Unchanging view of the mother: “She despised disorder in rooms and in houses and in hours and in lives”. Macleod’s referral to “in hours” signifies that over time the mother prefers upholding of traditions and approves merely duties and nothing beyond the routine. The mother prefers “wide-brimmed hats and the brocaded dresses” in contrast to the tourists “with their expensive clothes”. Macleod’s contrast in clothing reflects the respective identity of the characters and argues against progression in the mother. The mother’s choice of clothing is arguably ancient in relation to the clothing choices of the

Early into the story, the narrator’s countenance of memories frequently associates nature with negativity. The narrator mentions: “frozen steadfast earth” (223), “restlessly in the waters” (223), “splashing ineffectual noises” (223). Such negative connotation for nature continues to happen until the father engages with the tourists, who represent progressiveness. The narrator describes: “unearthly blue”, “peaceful harbor”, and “hot summer nights” characterizes nature positively. In the second half of the story, after the tourists have left, Macleod present the remaining story in a timeline manner beginning with January through to November. Macleod’s emphasis on the months and time frame of the events most critically suggests the doom of traditions and evolution of advancement through mechanisms of nature. This is the smaller timeline within the much larger time frame of the story itself since the story is a recollection of the first-person narrator. Macleod’s utilization of dual timelines effectively shows that the sufferings in the smaller timeline cause the advancement that the next generation