Female Solidarity & Characters in A Bird in the House
Themes of Solidarity and Gender Roles
When Beth is pregnant with Roderick, she continues to work hard around the house despite warnings of a possible miscarriage. When Beth’s husband Ewen is dying, Beth does not need to tell Vanessa about the sad news, because “there is no need,” and they wordlessly hold each other. Vanessa, learning about caring and solidarity from the older women in her life, has the feeling that her mother needs her protection. After her death, Beth is buried in the Manawaka cemetery “beside Ewen, her husband and Vanessa’s father, who had died so long before her. Of all the deaths in the family, hers remained unhealed in Vanessa’s mind longest.”
Forming a loving and supportive circle, the women in A Bird in the House empower each other to climb to the top rung of the traditional gender hierarchy. The men are often victims of their own independence and aggression because, in these short stories, the subtleties of feminine power work best in the end. Whether they are in male-female situations, male-male situations, or female-female situations, the men in Laurence’s novel fall from their places of high power because, to survive in the wilderness that is Canada, they must form solidarity with themselves and with the women around them.
Characters in A Bird in the House
- Vanessa MacLeod
- The protagonist. The character is a middle-aged woman who uses flashbacks to reveal lessons learned from her family as she grew up.
- Grandmother MacLeod (Vanessa’s paternal grandmother)
- A conservative woman who is unable to accept the family’s change in circumstances. She behaves as if the family is still wealthy, ordering fancy linens and silver from catalogues.
- Beth MacLeod (Vanessa’s mother)
- Is a former nurse, as revealed in Chapter 3, “The Mask of the Bear.” Now that she has children, she is a homemaker and peacemaker. She has a closer relationship with her sister, Edna.
- Ewen MacLeod (Vanessa’s father)
- A doctor like his father, Timothy Conner. He was a soldier during World War I and witnessed the death of his younger brother, Roderick.
- Roderick MacLeod (Vanessa’s younger brother)
- Born in Chapter 2, “To Set Our House in Order.” He is named after Ewen’s brother, who died in World War I.
- Edna Connor (Beth’s sister; Vanessa’s aunt)
- A light-hearted and beautiful but troubled woman. She lives with her parents. She and Vanessa are the only characters who argue with Timothy Conner. In Chapter 8, “Jericho’s Brick Battlements,” she marries Wes Grigg, who works for the Canadian National Railway.
- Timothy Connor (Vanessa’s maternal grandfather)
- He is married to Agnes Conner, and they have several adult children. Beth and Edna are his daughters. He is a person who constantly criticizes.
- Agnes Connor (Vanessa’s maternal grandmother)
- Quiet, religious, unfailingly kind, and calm. She is a foil character for her husband, and she is the only character to successfully oppose him. She didn’t believe in smoking, drinking, playing cards, or eyeglasses because she thought they were unnatural.
- Dan Connor (Timothy Connor’s brother; Vanessa’s great uncle)
- He raised horses and spent most of his time travelling around the country, selling them. He had never married. Vanessa is embarrassed by him because he is often unkempt and dirty, and he is eccentric and overly friendly.
Other Characters and Settings
- Nanuk: Vanessa’s husky. His mother is Natasha.
- Rufus Nolan: Policeman
- Regals: Teen hangout
- Manawaka: The town where the story takes place
- Freehold: Neighboring town
- Yang Min: Elderly Chinese family