No Great Mischief
Encyclopedia
No Great Mischief is a 1999 novel by Alistair MacLeod
.
The novel opens in the present day, with successful orthodontist Alexander MacDonald visiting his elderly older brother Calum in Toronto
, Ontario
. The novel explores the emotional bonds of family through flashbacks to their childhood in Cape Breton Island
and young adulthood spent in the mine
s of Northern Ontario
, clan history dating back to 1779, and present day interactions between the two brothers and a sister. Though written primarily in English, Scottish Gaelic and French are used in dialogue and song.
The novel also mirrors Canadian history
as a whole, taking its title from James Wolfe
's assertion in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham
that Scottish soldiers should be sent into battle because "they are hardy, intrepid, accustomed to a rough country, and no great mischief if they fall." [237] The enduring linguistic and cultural tensions that have defined Canadian society are also reflected in the novel; during their time working in the uranium
mines of Elliot Lake, the brothers are frequently in conflict with their francophone
coworkers.
The novel explores the themes of brotherhood and the conflict between the rise of individualism
and family
in the post-modern world. Alex loves his alcoholic brother, Calum, despite his problems because Alex sees the potential in Calum. Alex lets his brother die in peace and with dignity even though he is a convicted murderer and alcoholic. The author uses Alex as an example for all human beings. MacLeod wants the reader to realize that "all of us are better when we're loved" and that forgiveness and love for humanity are the only weapons humans have against the destructive forces of evil
.
The title "No great mischief if they fall" is found most easily in Findlay, J.T., "Wolfe in Scotland in the '45 and from 1749 to 1753." London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1928, p. 226. An earlier use of the citation that MacLeod used for his title appears in Gibson, John G. "Traditional Gaelic Bagpiping 1745-1945." Montreal and Kingston: MQUP, and Nat. Mus. Scot., 1998, p. 59.
Alistair MacLeod
Alistair MacLeod, OC is a noted Canadian author and retired professor of English at the University of Windsor.- Academic career :...
.
The novel opens in the present day, with successful orthodontist Alexander MacDonald visiting his elderly older brother Calum in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. The novel explores the emotional bonds of family through flashbacks to their childhood in Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
and young adulthood spent in the mine
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
s of Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
, clan history dating back to 1779, and present day interactions between the two brothers and a sister. Though written primarily in English, Scottish Gaelic and French are used in dialogue and song.
The novel also mirrors Canadian history
History of Canada
The history of Canada covers the period from the arrival of Paleo-Indians thousands of years ago to the present day. Canada has been inhabited for millennia by distinctive groups of Aboriginal peoples, among whom evolved trade networks, spiritual beliefs, and social hierarchies...
as a whole, taking its title from James Wolfe
James Wolfe
Major General James P. Wolfe was a British Army officer, known for his training reforms but remembered chiefly for his victory over the French in Canada...
's assertion in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham
Battle of the Plains of Abraham
The Battle of the Plains of Abraham, also known as the Battle of Quebec, was a pivotal battle in the Seven Years' War...
that Scottish soldiers should be sent into battle because "they are hardy, intrepid, accustomed to a rough country, and no great mischief if they fall." [237] The enduring linguistic and cultural tensions that have defined Canadian society are also reflected in the novel; during their time working in the uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
mines of Elliot Lake, the brothers are frequently in conflict with their francophone
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
coworkers.
The novel explores the themes of brotherhood and the conflict between the rise of individualism
Individualism
Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, or social outlook that stresses "the moral worth of the individual". Individualists promote the exercise of one's goals and desires and so value independence and self-reliance while opposing most external interference upon one's own...
and family
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
in the post-modern world. Alex loves his alcoholic brother, Calum, despite his problems because Alex sees the potential in Calum. Alex lets his brother die in peace and with dignity even though he is a convicted murderer and alcoholic. The author uses Alex as an example for all human beings. MacLeod wants the reader to realize that "all of us are better when we're loved" and that forgiveness and love for humanity are the only weapons humans have against the destructive forces of evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
.
The title "No great mischief if they fall" is found most easily in Findlay, J.T., "Wolfe in Scotland in the '45 and from 1749 to 1753." London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1928, p. 226. An earlier use of the citation that MacLeod used for his title appears in Gibson, John G. "Traditional Gaelic Bagpiping 1745-1945." Montreal and Kingston: MQUP, and Nat. Mus. Scot., 1998, p. 59.
Awards and nominations
- Trillium Book AwardTrillium Book AwardThe Trillium Award is given annually by the government of the Province of Ontario and is open to books in any genre: fiction, non-fiction, drama, children's books, and poetry. Anthologies, new editions, re-issues and translations are not eligible. Three jury members per language judge the...
, 1999 - Thomas Head Raddall AwardThomas Head Raddall AwardThe Thomas Head Raddall Award is a Canadian literary award, presented annually by the Writers' Trust of Canada and the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia, to the best work of adult fiction published in the previous year by a writer from the Atlantic provinces...
, 2000 - Dartmouth Book Award
- Atlantic Provinces Booksellers Choice Award
- International IMPAC Dublin Literary AwardInternational IMPAC Dublin Literary AwardThe International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award is an international literary award for a work of fiction, jointly sponsored by the city of Dublin, Ireland and the company IMPAC. At €100,000 it is one of the richest literary prizes in the world...
, 2001 - Canadian Booksellers Association Libris Award for Fiction
- In October 2009, Atlantic Canada's 100 Greatest BooksAtlantic Canada's 100 Greatest Books (book)Atlantic Canada's 100 Greatest Books is a non-fiction book by Trevor J. Adams and Stephen Patrick Clare, published by Nimbus Publishing. The first book of its type, it ranks and reviews the top 100 books written by Atlantic Canadian writers, published in the region, or focusing on the region...
selected No Great Mischief as the greatest Atlantic Canadian book of all time.
External links
- Barnes & Noble - Overview & Editorial Reviews
- Randomhouse.com - "No Great Mischief" - reading & discussion guide
- Review - Januarymagazine.com - An Overdue Debut review by Sienna Powers
- Review - "No Great Mischief" by Adam Mars-Jones - The Observer - July 23, 2001
- Review in Wolf Moon Journal by Laurie Meunier Graves.