THE POWER OF THE MIND AND THE HAND

MARGARET LAURENCES EXCHANGE OF LETTERS WITH ADELE WISEMAN AND OTHERS

Abstract

Significant joys involving great writers and their world match the excitement and energy of working with communication through letters with gifted correspondents. Margaret Laurence, Canada"s great literary matriarch is not an exception to this. In her letters there is a detailed leap of voice, tone and a lively give-and-take passionate conversation between two souls. The view of the auto-biographer or biographer is vague and only their poetic selection of life can be clearly seen portrayed in their letters. This is certainly evident in the 450 letters in the Laurence-Wiseman correspondence and the 300 letters in the Laurence-Purdy correspondence.

Besides Wiseman, Laurence had also had correspondence with Al Purdy and some others great personalities related to both literary and non literary field. The letters of Laurence have paved the way for a study of her in relation to Canada, Canadian women, Canadian identity and Multiculturalism that have stretched their strong roots in Canada. Letter writers have a very good creative sense. Laurence and Wiseman have proved it through their correspondence.