It is the first part of the trilogy A Scots Quair. Sunset Song is a 1932 novel by the Scottish writer Lewis Grassic Gibbon. Depending on the study guide provider (SparkNotes, Shmoop, etc. Ewan signed up for the army. Instead, she marries a young farmer called Ewan Tavendale and carries on farming. The first in a trilogy called A Scots Quair, Scottish author Lewis Gibbon’s novel Sunset Song (1932) … The theme of the onset of modernisation and the end of old ways is explored using many symbols, for example, violent deaths of horses (supposed to represent old, traditional farming methods) and the appearance of motorised cars representing new technologies which brush the people of the land from the road. The novel is written in an essentially artificial form of Scots intended to capture the colloquial speech of The Mearns peasants without being inaccessible to English speakers. In Chapter 1 Jean Guthrie – the mother of the protagonist, Chris Guthrie – discovered she was pregnant with twins, despite already having four children. He dies shortly afterwards. Sunset Song intertwines the life story of a young woman named Chris Guthrie with the history of a fictional Scottish community called Kinraddie during the early years of the twentieth century up to and including World War One and its immediate aftermath. Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Plot Summary of “Sunset Song” by Lewis Grassic Gibbon. In the Epilude, a new Reverend at the church in Kinraddie commissioned a monument to commemorate the men of Kinraddie who were killed in the war. This Study Guide consists of approximately 40 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - The novel was also the inspiration for the Richard Thompson song "Poor Ditching Boy" on his 1972 album Henry the Human Fly. She begins a relationship with the new minister, and she watches as he dedicates the War Memorial at the Standing Stones above her home. Sunset Song by Lewis Grassic Gibbon. The dilemma Chris faces over whether to continue her education or commit to a life in the land is also featured. Some wondered if it had been written by a woman using a male pseudonym.[1]. The author also has some political opinions reflected in the characters of Chae Strachan, the Socialist, and Long Rob, the pacifist, and he shows how they react to the coming of the war. John was so angry that he suffered a health crisis which left him paralyzed. Jean was deeply unhappy about having more children, but with no access to contraception and her husband’s refusal to respect her decisions about her body, she was left with no choice. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Because their family was now so large, her husband John took the decision to take over the lease at a farm called Blawearie and move the whole family to Kinraddie. Soon after this, her father suffers a stroke, leaving him bedridden. The series made the important change from the book of turning Chris into the narrator; Chris was played by Vivien Heilbron. One of the best known is by Alastair Cording. It was shown in the USA on Masterpiece Theatre in 1975–76. By some readings Chris is "Chris Caledonia", an allegorical figure for Scotland itself. The Prelude creates a mythology and history for Kinraddie dating back to the twelfth century, weaving the history of the town into many major events in Scottish, British, and European history, including the battles between Scotsman William Wallace and the English, the English Reformation, and the French Revolution. Sunset Song is a 1932 novel by the Scottish writer Lewis Grassic Gibbon. Chris, who has had some education, considers leaving for a job as a teacher in the towns, but realises she loves the land and cannot leave it. They got married and Chris later discovered that she was pregnant. [1], When it was first published, some readers were shocked by its realistic treatment of sex and childbirth, and its sometimes negative portrayals of family life. [3], This article is about the novel. Life is hard, and her family is dysfunctional. Rather than sell it, she decided to continue to run Blawearie on her own. The series was the first colour drama made by BBC Scotland and also contained the first nude scene. Jack Webster, the Scottish writer and journalist, wrote a play based on the novel and Lewis Grassic Gibbon's life which toured Scotland in 2008. There are also a number of adaptations for the stage. Britain declared war with Germany and many of the local men went to France to fight: some by choice, others against their wishes. If there is a Sunset Song SparkNotes, Shmoop guide, or Cliff Notes, you can find a link to each study guide below. In Chapter 2, Jean murdered the baby twins and committed suicide after finding out that she was pregnant once again. Sunset Song Summary & Study Guide includes comprehensive information and analysis to There have been several adaptations, including a 1971 television series by BBC Scotland, a 2015 film version, and some stage versions. This study guide contains the following sections: This detailed literature summary also contains Quotes and a Free Quiz on Ewan dies in the war; and Chris subsequently hears from Chae Strachan, who is home on leave, that Ewan was shot as a deserter but that he died thinking of her. ), the resources below will generally offer Sunset Song chapter summaries, quotes, and analysis of themes, characters, … Later, Chris received a telegram telling her that Ewan had been killed in the war. For 2015 film adaptation, see, Map of Kinraddie with the main characters, "Sunset Song: Cinema Screenings & Ticket Booking – The Official Showtimes Destination", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sunset_Song&oldid=984584767, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 20 October 2020, at 22:22. Will and his father have a stormy relationship; and Will emigrates to Argentina with his young bride, Mollie Douglas. Chris started a relationship with a local laborer called Ewan Tavendale. The central character is a young woman, Chris Guthrie, growing up in a farming family in the fictional Estate of Kinraddie in The Mearns in the north east of Scotland at the start of the 20th century. In Chapter 3, John died and Chris inherited all of his money and property. everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Sunset Song. the coming of modernisation to traditional farming communities. Once in Kinraddie, Chris was sent to study at a nearby college where she felt herself torn between two identities: one which loved learning and the intellect, the other which loved agriculture and the land. Two younger children go to live with their aunt and uncle in Aberdeen, leaving Chris, her older brother Will, and her father to run the farm on their own. Chris is left to do all the work around the house. The Reverend began a romantic relationship with Chris and Chris attended the unveiling of the monument with her son. Chris refused to speak to him when he left. Chris left college and devoted herself to working on the farm. The composer Thomas Wilson was commissioned to write the theme music, which the BBC retained for the remaining two parts of the trilogy, commissioning Wilson again to compose the incidental music for the remaining productions of Cloud Howe and Grey Granite. In Chapter 4, Chris gave birth to her baby whom she named Ewan. The title of the novel is a direct reference to the theme of the sunset of the old ways and traditions. The novel touches on several issues; the distinctive, not always positive character, of small rural communities in the North East of Scotland, the role of women, and the "peasant crisis" i.e. Sunset Song intertwines the life story of a young woman named Chris Guthrie with the history of a fictional Scottish community called Kinraddie during the early years of the twentieth century up to and including World War One and its immediate aftermath. [2], In 2015, English filmmaker Terence Davies and producer Bob Last released an adaptation of the book, titled Sunset Song, starring Agyness Deyn and Peter Mullan. It is widely regarded as one of the most important Scottish novels of the 20th century. When he comes home on leave, he treats Chris badly, evidently brutalised by his experiences in the army. For a time, they are happily married, and they have a son, whom they also call Ewan.