The loons by Margaret Laurence

Title: The Loons

Author: Margaret Laurence

Setting: Canada, mainly at Lake Wakikimi and the town of Manawaka

Summary:

The story is told by Vanessa MacLeod, a young girl from a middle-class white family. One summer, her family invites Piquette Tonnerre, a Métis girl (of mixed Indigenous and European heritage), to stay with them at their summer cottage on Lake Wakikimi.

Vanessa’s father, Dr. MacLeod, is a kind man who feels sympathy for the Métis people, who are often poor and looked down upon by others. He hopes that by inviting Piquette to the lake, she might enjoy the clean air and beautiful surroundings — and perhaps become friends with Vanessa.

At first, Vanessa is excited about having a companion her age. But she quickly finds that Piquette is quiet, withdrawn, and uncomfortable. She doesn’t seem to enjoy swimming, boating, or talking. Vanessa realizes that Piquette feels out of place in their world — she belongs neither to white society nor fully to her Indigenous roots.

Throughout their stay, Vanessa notices that the lake is home to loons, beautiful but wild birds whose haunting cries fill the air. Dr. MacLeod tells Vanessa that loons are disappearing because people are taking over their natural homes — a symbol for how Indigenous people, like Piquette’s family, are also being pushed out and forgotten.

Years later, Vanessa grows up and meets Piquette again by chance in a dance hall. Piquette looks tired and bitter. She’s married a rough man and has faced many hardships. Vanessa wants to talk to her, but Piquette keeps her distance, saying coldly that Vanessa “has it easy.”

Later, Vanessa learns that Piquette and her two children died in a fire that destroyed their house. It’s a tragic end that reflects the neglect and struggles faced by her people. When Vanessa returns to Lake Wakikimi, she no longer hears the cries of the loons — they, like Piquette, are gone.