Letters in Canada: 1955

EDITED BY DOUGLAS GRANT I Letters in Canada 1955 The utility of "Letters in Canada" is not generally questioned. Occasionally, a voice has been raised to carp at the fairness of a body of chosen critics setting itself up to judge the year's writing, but it is usually admitted that a survey of this kind is useful, whatever its particular faults. All those interested in the country's literature are quickly and clearly conducted through the bewildering variety the year has produced; and should they be led to disagree with their guides when they later turn aside by themselves to consider more closely some aspect of it, who will not concede that they might have overlooked what is now of interest to them had it not' first been brought to their attention? The only innovation made this year in the established scheme is the introduction of a section devoted to periodical writing. Much of the best writing done in Canada appears· in the periodicals, and it is· only fair that they should be recognized along with books and pamphlets. But the section may also serve a second purpose. The health of a country 's literature depends to a great degree on its periodicals-especially on its non-commercial periodicals-and to discuss them in the context of "Letters in Canada" is in effect to appeal to the public for stronger support. I wish to express my thanks to all the contributors to the survey, to the publishers of Canadian books for their co-operation, and to Miss Jean Houston, Assistant Editor of the University Press, for her work in assembling and distributing the volumes. I. POETRY Northrop Frye Poetry, like painting, has two poles: the pole of content or subjectmatter , the thing represented, and the pole of form, the conventional 290 ...