In the Foreword to Two Solitudes, Hugh MacLennan explains that because “it is a novel of Canada … some of the characters in the book are presumed to speak only English, others only French, while many are bilingual.” The novel’s dialogue, however, is written solely in English. This panel will explore representations of Canada’s land, communities, citizens, and dialects. How does language inform nationality and the concept of only two linguistic and cultural solitudes? How do provincial, territorial, and municipal allegiances undermine or bolster the image of a united country with a national literature? Papers on Quebecois, First Nations, and immigrant regionalisms in Canada are particularly encouraged.

This panel will be a part of the Midwest Modern Languages Association’s annual convention, from November 13-16, 2008, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Please send 250-word abstracts to Emily Sharpe at ers189@psu.edu by April 24, 2008. The conference website is http://www.uiowa.edu/~mmla/