Maria Chapdelaine

What role does the concept of progress play in Maria Chapdelaine? How does it relate to the desire to preserve a distinct French-Canadian community, culture and heritage?

How is the concept of duty portrayed in the novel, particularly through the character of Maria and her relationship with her family? How is duty different for men and women?

How does the novel’s setting in the bleak woods of rural Québec reflect and influence the Chapdelaines’ faith? Explore how the characters’ relationship with nature parallels their relationship with God.

Maria Chapdelaine makes several references to Indigenous characters, negatively contrasting them with the French-Canadian protagonists. Discuss Hémon’s portrayal of Indigenous Canadians characters. How does his characterization reinforce racist and colonialist stereotypes?

How does Hémon portray the importance of French-Canadian national identity in the early 20th century, especially the desire to preserve Québécois culture amidst the influence of increasing industrialization and migration?

Does Hémon’s status as an immigrant to Québec change the view of habitant life presented in Maria Chapdelaine?

Some critics have argued that Maria Chapdelaine is misclassified as a romance novel. Do you read it as a romance? Which elements of a traditional romance are present in the narrative, and which are absent?

What do each of Maria’s suitors symbolize in relation to the changes Québec was undergoing at the start of the 20th century? What purpose does François’s death serve in relation to this symbolism?