Haliburton

A detailed Summary of Haliburton

Thomas Haliburton, the author of the book "The Clockmaker, The Sayings and Doings of Sam Slick of Slickville", demonstrates the power an author can have over his audience. By using two fictional characters, Sam and the Squire, Haliburton is able, although sometimes through ridicule not always gentle, to persuade his primary readers at that time, the Nova Scotians or Bluenoses as he refers of them, into a more worthy and industrious way of life. Haliburton tends to stick to a few important factors, which he feels are important if Nova Scotia is to grow and prosper, as he ultimately hopes will occur.

Through various economic, political and social maxims, Haliburton reaches his ultimate goal, to reach out to his fellow countrymen, make them see the true value of their country and stop looking for reasons why they are not prospering, and start looking for ways they can.

Haliburton spends a great deal of time emphasizing Nova Scotia's economic needs. He does a very good job of pointing out the province's economic potential but talks of the province as being 'stagnant' because of the Bluenoses inability to 'cypher'. By using Sam, who is not from this 'stagnant province' Haliburton is able to present which economic activities he feels

"Any man that onderstands horses has a pretty considerable fair knowledge of women; for they are jist alike in temper and require the very identical same treatment." P. 58

"I'd sooner trust my chance with a naked hook any time, than one that's half covered with bad bait." P. 86

"father's old nigger, January Snow. He knows English real well, and can do near about anything but speak it." P. 115

For example, in Chapter 21, Sam states 'the rich aren't running the country as the poor believe.' and believes anyone can be rich if they work. This shows the overall impression of the middle to low class people of Nova Scotia, but Sam thinks that the difference between being rich and being poor, is determined by how much they want to work for that wealth.

"Why put him to the PLOUGH, the most nateral, the most happy, the most innocent, and the most healthy employment in the world." P.166

"No, make a farmer of him, and you will have the satisfaction of seeing him an honest, an independent, and a respectable member of society - more honest than traders, more independent than professional men, and more respectable than either." P. 166

Throughout the book, Sam, when talking about the black people of Nova Scotia, refers to them as old niggers, and it is easy to see from this that he feels there is a racial seperation between whites and blacks in Nova Scotia.

This previous statement shows the interaction between the social problems and the political problems in Nova Scotia. With no people willing to step out and initiate either political or economic activity the 'potential' of the province could not be seen. The Blue Nose found it easier to blame the government for it's lack of spending and investment, in projects like the railroad and canal, and others they had promised, than learn their own business and stick to it.

"Well, what's a railroad? The substitution of mechanical for human and animal labor, on a scale as grand as our country. Labor is dear in America, and cheap in Europe. A railroad, therefore, is comparatively n

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Approximate Word count = 1372
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous