Relationships In Dorothy Livesay's The Uprooting

Topic: Discuss Elizabeth’s relationship with those she is leaving behind.

Humans in a complex society connect to one another for a wide range of intentions. The practice often mock their senses and the significance of the relationships are most real when they separate. In “The Uprooting” by Dorothy Livesay, Elizabeth’s relationship with her friends, her Granny, and Aunt Maudie is show when she is moving from Winnipeg to Toronto. First, Elizabeth barely has connections with her Granny in England. When they return to their house, Elizabeth discovered that the blue elephant is gone. The blue elephant is a toy sent by her Granny in England. They have always put it “on the plate shelf, just to be looked at” (1) because it is pretty. They have never played with the toy, hinting their Granny’s solemnity since the elephant is given by her. They do not want to smear the elephant so they ignore it. However, when Elizabeth finds out its disappearance, she remains calm and unprovoked. She thinks that the tenants during the war “must have … some children” (1) and assumed that they have taken it away. Her indifferent attitude implies that although their

Aunt Maudie has been a mother figure in Elizabeth’s life. She has taught her “to knit, to sew, to make the spicy cottage pudding with the brown sugar sauce” (9) and help her decorate her doll family. She has satisfied her practical problems and daily needs by equipping her with necessary skills. Moreover, in the last few hours, Aunt Maudie is the one having the most interactions with Elizabeth. They talk about Aunt Maudie’s decisions in life and dreams and aspirations for the future. Elizabeth only expresses her personal thoughts to Aunt Maudie. Only Aunt Maudie provides Elizabeth with mental relief and comfort which signifies that their strong relationship not only exist on the practical level but also the psychological