It’s an enthralling read, hilarious and heartbreaking by turns, populated by characters who seem, on first glimpse, to be wilfully eccentric, but emerge as realistic and grounded, taking what control they can of their lives. What should not be overlooked is just how well Sweetland works as story. It is a love song and a paean to a life and a history, and an elegy for its disappearance. Drawing on history, memory and dream, Crummey creates a vivid portrait not only of Sweetland himself (the reader will come to understand, devastatingly, why he refuses to leave), but of the world around him, both human and natural. Sweetland, the novel, is a compelling depiction of a community in its final days, coming together and coming apart simultaneously. It is to Crummey’s considerable credit that this symbolic reading of Sweetland never interferes with or overshadows the narrative itself. His refusal to leave his home in 2012 is, therefore, both human and individualistic, but also rich in larger, symbolic meaning: Moses is, in many ways, the personification of traditional Newfoundland, clinging to life in the face of unstoppable, constant change. Moses was part of the exodus of young Newfoundland men who trekked to Ontario for work in the post-Confederation years (the antecedents of those at work in the oil sands of Alberta today), a cod fisherman until the moratorium in 1992, a lightkeeper until the lighthouses were automated. He is an iconic example of the changes that have shaken Newfoundland and its people in the decades since Confederation. Self-righteous and humble, “simple” but wise, contemplative but with a wry humour, Moses is so deftly drawn, so richly human, it might actually escape notice that he is also a symbol. With Moses, Crummey has created a character so realistic he seems to defy fiction. Very simply, Moses Sweetland is going to stay, no matter what. It doesn’t help his cause, of course, that he refuses to explain why he is unwilling to leave. The 69-year-old scion of the family that gave the island its name has no intention of losing his home, no matter the incentive or how loudly the community rallies against him, no matter the subtle imprecations and threatening notes left in his kitchen. The program only takes effect, however, if everyone in the community agrees to it. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Manage Print Subscription / Tax Receipt.
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