Rockbound
Encyclopedia
Rockbound is a novel
published in 1928 by Canadian
writer Frank Parker Day
.
. Surrounded by rich but dangerous fishing grounds, Rockbound is isolated by storm
s, fog
and winter weather
. Two feuding families, the Jungs and the Krauses are dominated by the "king of Rockbound", the sternly righteous and rapacious Uriah Jung. When the young David Jung arrives on Rockbound to claim his inheritance
, a small share of the island, he is forced to confront an unforgiving, and controlled world. His conflicts—both internal and external—lock him in a struggle for survival.
His enemies are many: sometimes the ocean
, sometimes his own rude behaviour, sometimes his own best friend, sometimes his secret love for the island teacher, but always his relatives and their ambitions for money and power.
Rockbound paints a portrait of hard toil, cunning bitterness and family strife in the years leading to World War I
. The novel evokes the infinite power, the terror and the cruel beauty of the Atlantic Ocean
including a the terrifying sinking of a fishing schooner
based on the loss of the schooner Sylvia Mosher on August 9, 1926 during the 1926 August Gales
at Sable Island
.
. Day spent the summer of 1926 on East Ironbound telling the families who welcomed him and shared their stories that he was working on a book about William Shakespeare
. East Ironbound became a thinly disguised Rockbound while Tancook
became the novel's Outer Island; Lunenburg
became Liscomb; and Pearl Island became Barren Island. East Ironbound's two main families the Fincks and the Youngs inspired Rockbound's rival families the Krauses and the Jungs. Day's interpretation, distortion and exaggeration of community and personal lives on East Ironbound offended the residents of the island who felt betrayed. They published a letter in the Lunenburg and Halifax papers accusing Day of exploiting them for money.
, where it was championed by Donna Morrissey
. Rockbound eventually won the competition.
"Rockbound" was adapted as a musical by Allen Cole, commissioned by Two Planks and a Passion Theatre Company in Nova Scotia and presented at the Ross Creek Centre in July 2009.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
published in 1928 by Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
writer Frank Parker Day
Frank Parker Day
Frank Parker Day was a Canadian athlete, academic and author....
.
Overview
The "Rockbound" mentioned in the title is an island off the coast of Nova ScotiaNova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. Surrounded by rich but dangerous fishing grounds, Rockbound is isolated by storm
Storm
A storm is any disturbed state of an astronomical body's atmosphere, especially affecting its surface, and strongly implying severe weather...
s, fog
Fog
Fog is a collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated...
and winter weather
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
. Two feuding families, the Jungs and the Krauses are dominated by the "king of Rockbound", the sternly righteous and rapacious Uriah Jung. When the young David Jung arrives on Rockbound to claim his inheritance
Inheritance
Inheritance is the practice of passing on property, titles, debts, rights and obligations upon the death of an individual. It has long played an important role in human societies...
, a small share of the island, he is forced to confront an unforgiving, and controlled world. His conflicts—both internal and external—lock him in a struggle for survival.
His enemies are many: sometimes the ocean
Ocean
An ocean is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...
, sometimes his own rude behaviour, sometimes his own best friend, sometimes his secret love for the island teacher, but always his relatives and their ambitions for money and power.
Rockbound paints a portrait of hard toil, cunning bitterness and family strife in the years leading to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The novel evokes the infinite power, the terror and the cruel beauty of the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
including a the terrifying sinking of a fishing schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
based on the loss of the schooner Sylvia Mosher on August 9, 1926 during the 1926 August Gales
1926 Atlantic hurricane season
A Cape Verde-type hurricane reached Category 4 strength over the open Atlantic Ocean on September. It turned to the northeast, looped, and became extratropical on September 21...
at Sable Island
Sable Island
Sable Island is a small Canadian island situated 300 km southeast of mainland Nova Scotia in the Atlantic Ocean. The island is a year-round home to approximately five people...
.
Inspiration
Rockbound was based on the island of East Ironbound, Nova ScotiaNova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. Day spent the summer of 1926 on East Ironbound telling the families who welcomed him and shared their stories that he was working on a book about William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
. East Ironbound became a thinly disguised Rockbound while Tancook
Big Tancook Island
Big Tancook Island is a Canadian island located off the coast of Nova Scotia. The island is one of the 365 islands dotting Mahone Bay. It measures approximately long and wide, forming roughly a "C" shape. The island is separated from nearby Little Tancook Island to the east by a wide strait...
became the novel's Outer Island; Lunenburg
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Lunenburg , is a Canadian port town in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia.Situated on the province's South Shore, Lunenburg is located on a peninsula at the western side of Mahone Bay. The town is approximately 90 kilometres southwest of the county boundary with the Halifax Regional Municipality.The...
became Liscomb; and Pearl Island became Barren Island. East Ironbound's two main families the Fincks and the Youngs inspired Rockbound's rival families the Krauses and the Jungs. Day's interpretation, distortion and exaggeration of community and personal lives on East Ironbound offended the residents of the island who felt betrayed. They published a letter in the Lunenburg and Halifax papers accusing Day of exploiting them for money.
Cultural Impact
Rockbound was one of the selected novels in the 2005 edition of Canada ReadsCanada Reads
Canada Reads is an annual "battle of the books" competition organized and broadcast by Canada's public broadcaster, the CBC.-Overview:During Canada Reads, five personalities champion five different books, each champion extolling the merits of one of the titles. The debate is broadcast over a series...
, where it was championed by Donna Morrissey
Donna Morrissey
Donna Morrissey is a Canadian author.At age 16 Morrissey left her birthplace, The Beaches, a small outport on the west coast of Newfoundland. She lived in various places of Canada before returning to St. John's where she studied at Memorial University, where she obtained a Bachelor of Social Work,...
. Rockbound eventually won the competition.
"Rockbound" was adapted as a musical by Allen Cole, commissioned by Two Planks and a Passion Theatre Company in Nova Scotia and presented at the Ross Creek Centre in July 2009.