Magic and the Supernatural - Lancaster University

Coming-of-Age among Sasquatches and Tree Spirits:
Supernatural Guides in Eden Robinson’s Monkey Beach
Martina Rössler
Abstract
Eden Robinson, Canadian writer of indigenous descent, explores the formative
years of Lisamarie Hill in her debut novel Monkey Beach (2000). The protagonist
is a resident of a Haisla community on the British Columbian coast and faces
numerous challenges as she attempts to discover herself while acting as a border
crosser between European-Canadian and indigenous cultures. Aspects of the
supernatural manifest themselves early in the novel, and as the narrative progresses
it becomes clear that the protagonist has been endowed with the gift (or curse?) of
being able to contact the spirit world. Encounters with figures mainly from Haisla
lore – ghosts, the ‘little man’ who acts as the harbinger of death, and the mythical
figure of the sasquatch, among others – pose the question whether Lisamarie can
accept the supernatural as an integral part of her life in a twentieth-century
Canadian community. A deep analysis of these issues reveals the pivotal
importance of the supernatural in the process of coming-of-age, as Lisamarie –
initially unwillingly – receives support from spirits when having to cope with
certain situations. However, Lisamarie’s belief in the spirit world and other
people’s ignorance thereof constitute additional bones of contention in the already
strained relationship between Haisla tradition and European-Canadian modernity.
The reconciliation of these aspects poses one of the greatest challenges during the
protagonist’s adolescent years. Robinson’s novel investigates the possibility of
interweaving supernatural elements into a narrative without the use of a traditional
trickster figure. Rather, the supernatural is a fundamental element of everyday life
which the protagonist is encouraged to explore. When she acknowledges the Haisla
part of her identity she simultaneously accepts the spirits’ guidance. Numerous
incidents throughout the story confirm the vital importance of Lisamarie’s contact
with the spirit world with regards to the construction of her identity during her
maturation process from a young girl to a responsible adult.
Key Words: Monkey Beach, coming-of-age, tree spirits, Sasquatch, ghosts, Haisla.
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1. Introduction
In her coming-of-age narrative Monkey Beach Haisla writer Eden Robinson
provides a colourful illustration of life in the Native community of Kitamaat which
is situated on the British Columbian coast. The protagonist, nineteen-year old
Lisamarie Michelle Hill, is of Haisla ancestry and revives the memories of her
childhood and adolescence as she and her parents find themselves in a state of