Mavis Gallant

Mavis Gallant is one of the most celebrated writers of the 20th century, having published dozens of books, hundreds of short stories, and numerous other works. In addition to her prolific and award winning writing career, Gallant was known for her unique perspective and warm presence as an author.

Mavis Gallant was born in Montreal in 1922 and spent her childhood in Canada before she ventured out to Europe, where she stayed for almost two-decades starting in 1951. During this period of exile, Gallant wrote many of her most renowned works, the majority of which reflect a strong autobiographical element. In the years to follow, her stories were published around the world, particularly in the Paris Review in the United States, where she was a notable contributor.

Throughout her career, Mavis Gallant explored a number of themes, including exile and alienation, personal identity, and a yearning to belong and to be accepted. Much of her work draws upon her own life experience, particularly in the case of her award-winning 1985 New Yorker novella, ‘Baum, Girdle, and Change’. This semi-autobiographical story follows protagonist Nora Kaplansky and her search for home, which takes her from Montreal to New York.

Gallant was also noted for her sense of humour in her theoretical non-fiction and contemporary fiction. Her 1984 book ‘From One Story House’ is filled with witty one-liners and sharp turns of phrase, commenting on the pitfalls and cultural differences within both Canada and the United States. She chose to use these comedic devices to convey a more serious message, as revealed in the short story ‘The Ice Wagon Going Down the Street’, in which the narrator’s distaste for a ramshackle building reveals the haphazard nature of post-war urban living in Montreal.

The ever-evolving nature of her writing also serves as a testament to Gallant’s world-view. In ‘The Pegnitz Junction’, she writes of the fates of five German refugees, each of whom remain in search of a home. In this way, Gallant is able to explore the universal desire for community, stability, and acceptance in a time of turmoil.

The reception of Mavis Gallant’s work was largely positive and she was known to possess an unwavering commitment to accuracy and honesty in her writing. Gallant’s use of vivid, cinematic descriptions and dialogue-driven scenes allowed her to create a world populated by characters with whom the reader could understand and relate. This quality has proven a major component of her enduring legacy and has seen her work employed in numerous university classes and praised by many awards, including the American Pulitzer Prize in 1992 and the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 2002.

It is clear that Mavis Gallant was a masterful writer, as evidenced by her numerous awards and publications. She remains an important figure in the literary canon and her works continue to captivate and inspire readers around the world.