Annotation

In “The Loons,” Margaret Laurence successfully describes—by using an appropriate tone—the alienation felt by the young Piquette Tonnerre, who represents an ethnic group rejected by a cruel society, due to the fact that they are different. Piquette, a half-breed, “neither Cree nor French,” is forced to grow up in this cruel and cold society (108). When describing Piquette's status, Laurence, through a multitude of details and information, allows the readers to understand how the society of the time perceived them: “The Tonnerres were French halfbreeds, and among themselves they spoke a patois that was neither Cree nor French.

Their English was broken and full of obscenities. They did not belong among the Cree of the Galloping Mountain reservation, further north. They were, as…Grandmother MacLeod would have put it, neither flesh, fowl, nor good salt herring” (109). Grandmother MacLeod will refuse to join the whole family in one of their trips, simply because ill Piquette will also go: “Ewen, if that half-breed youngster comes along to Diamond Lake, I'm not going” (109).

Her tone is cruel and resentful, and the readers can't help condemning her attitude. Laurence obviously expected this reaction, since her often sad tone allows the readers to feel and understand her compassion toward Piquette and her misunderstood world. Although the tone of the story is predominantly sad, a first humorous moment is when the doctor chooses Piquette over grandmother McLeod for his planned vacation.

Even young Vanessa knows the outcome, and the readers can't help but to laugh along with her. Another humorous moment is when all of Vanessa's efforts to get Piquette to play, fail. Vanessa is taken by surprise by Piquette's refusal, and the more she tries, the more Piquette refuses. For a little while, it's like a new game for both girls. There's a cosmic irony ...