A year before Armature’s novel appeared, Charles Yale Harrison published Generals Die in Bed, written from the point of view of a Canadian soldier. One literary magazine described it as the best of the war novels. For this essay, read the selections from the novels of Armature and Harrison in the Reading File and compare and contrast the two accounts. As you write your essay, pay particular attention to common themes in the two accounts and the major concerns of the ordinary soldiers. You may also indicate which novel, if either, you find more compelling, and why?
Reviewing ‘The Killing Fields” (Program 2 of A People’s Century) would be helpful for you to write the essay. Topic B Much of the force of the videos in the series A People’s Century comes from the personal testimony of participants. In Program 4, for example, George Watt explains why he went to fight in the Spanish Civil War. About 1300 Canadians, most of them from Western Canada, also fought in the Spanish Civil War and were the subject of a Complete either “Topic A” or “Topic B” below. Do not do both.
Read the section of the Student Manual titled “Intellectual Integrity” before writing your essay. GELS/HISS 209 Assignment 1 1 National Film Board of Canada production titled Los Candidacies. This film is notable for the way in which it links events in Western Canada with those in Spain. Watch the video tapes Los Candidacies and Program 4 of A People’s Century (both available from the AU library), and compare the Canadian accounts with the personal testimony of George Watt in Program 4. How can you assess the accuracy or truthfulness of participants’ testimony?
You will also want to refer to one of Victor Hoar’s (Hoard’s) books on the war, which you will have to order from the library. The second book listed below is essentially a second edition of the other. The citations for them are: Victor Hoar with Mac Reynolds, The Municipalities Battalion: Canadian Participation in the Spanish Civil War. Toronto: coop Clark, 1969. AU call number: DIP 269. 7 . CO HE Victor Howard with Mac Reynolds, The Municipalities Battalion: The Canadian Contingent in the Spanish Civil War, Ottawa: Carleton UP, 1986.
