Alice Munro’s Dear Life: A Tapestry of Live, Loss, and Legacy

Abstract

This research paper employs the lens of New Historicism to analyse Alice Munro’s “Dear Life”, a collection of short stories. New Historicism emphasises the relationship between the literature and the historical context in which it was written. By examining the stories within the framework of Munro’s own life experiences and the broader social and cultural milieu of late 20^th century Canada, the paper explores how “Dear Life” grapples with themes of morality, memory and construction of personal legacy. The analysis reveals how Munro’s characters confront issues of ageing, loss and the search for meaning in a world shaped by specific historical forces.