The Oppression and Subversion of Annie: A Postcolonial Feminist Interpretation of A Wilderness Station

Abstract

“A Wilderness Station” is Alice Munro’s short story revolving around the mystery of the insanity of the female protagonist Annie Herron. Based on postcolonial feminist theory, this paper demonstrates that the oppression and subversion of Annie are closely related with her insane behavior in “A Wilderness Station”. It finds that Annie suffers double oppression, namely, the colonial religious hegemony and the patriarchal domination, showcasing the female predicaments in Canada in the nineteenth century. It also explores that Annie subverts the colonial and patriarchal oppression through her insanity and feminine writing, thereby providing possible exploration for the female endeavors to transform from being the silent “Other” to the subjective “Other”.