The View from Castle Rock narrative location Canada
The View from Castle Rock is a book of short stories by Canadian author Alice Munro, recipient of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature, which was published in 2006 by McClelland and Stewart.
The book is a collection of historical and autobiographical stories. The first part of the book narrates the lives of members of the Laidlaw branch of the family tree of the author, starting from their Scottish origins in the 18th century. The second part consists of fictionalized tales inspired by events in her own life.Contents
Foreword
Part One / No Advantages
"No Advantages"
"The View from Castle Rock"
"Illinois"
"The Wilds of Morris Township"
"Working for a Living"
Part Two / Home
"Fathers"
"Lying Under the Apple Tree"
"Hired Girl"
"The Ticket"
"Home"
"What Do You Want to Know For?"
Epilogue
"Messenger"The View from Castle Rock
This story narrates the voyage of James Laidlaw and his family to Canada.
The title stems from the event when James took his ten-year-old child Andrew to the top of the Rock of Edinburgh Castle to show him the coast of America (actually Fife).
James Laidlaw (Old James) had one daughter, Mary, and 5 sons, Robert, James, Andrew, William, and Walter.
Robert and William had moved to the Highlands before the move, while the others followed in the voyage (although James has left earlier).
Andrew's family is composed of his pregnant wife Agnes and their infant son (Young) James.
Agnes gives birth to a girl during the ocean crossing.
Mary is very attached to Young James: she takes care of him and panics when he disappears.
Young James dies shortly after their landing.
Walter writes down an account of the trip in his journal.
He meets a rich girl suffering from tuberculosis; her father suggests he follow them and get a job in his business, but Walter refuses.