A Tale of Reconciliation and Gendered Violence. Eden Robinson’s Monkey Beach (2000)

Abstract

This article examines the novel Monkey Beach (2000) by Haisla and Heiltsuk author Eden Robinson, framing it as a Young Adult narrative and taking into consideration its representation of gender, race, and “reconciliation/resurgence” in Indigenous Canadian communities. The ways in which gender intersects with the re-appropriation of cultural traditions and with the idea of an Indigenous resurgence are examined. The analysis focuses on Robinson’s portrayal of gendered violence towards Indigenous women and on the intergenerational trauma caused by the residential schools system. The female lead character, Lisamarie Hill, exemplifies the figure of the empowered Indigenous woman, who manages to reconnect with her cultural history and traditions through the acceptance of her preternatural powers.