In the fall of 2002, I was invited to St. Patrick High School in Yellowknife to talk about how I became a writer, and to discuss my story “The Prospector’s Trail,” which was republished in Imprints 11, a textbook for – you guessed it – Grade 11 students. Here are some of the questions the students asked, along with my answers. (Many of which are much improved, now that I’ve had time to think about them!)
Where did you get the idea for “The Prospector’s Trail?”
Several years ago, I met a young woman who had moved to Yellowknife with her husband. They had just finished university degrees, and had decided to come north to start their careers. It was not easy to find work – or housing – in Yellowknife at that time, so they lived in a tent at Fred Henne Territorial Park. I thought they were incredibly brave – I like a roof over my head, and nice solid walls around me. Their situation was the starting point for my story.

I’d like to make it clear, however, that I just borrowed their situation. None of the characters in “The Prospector’s Trail” are based on my friend . . . or anyone else, for that matter. I just made them up to suit the purposes of my story.

Although it’s now much easier to find work in Yellowknife, a housing shortage means that people are still living at the campsite in the summer. Here's a story from Northern News Services Ltd.
Have you ever gone “prospecting” at the Yellowknife dump?
I have been to the Yellowknife dump exactly once, when I was researching “The Prospector’s Trail.” That’s how I got the idea for the computers, in fact – I found quite a pile of them. I have drawn heavily on stories told by friends, which are plentiful, since “shopping” at the dump is a well-established tradition in Yellowknife. One of my friends gets all his supplies for the annual Ugly Truck and Dog Contest at the dump, but that’s another story.
Here's another example of the riches of the Yellowknife dump. These toy trucks, collected at the dump, now reside at a neighbourhood park so the kids can muck around in all that fabulous sand.
  An anecdote told by another friend inspired the incident in which one of the denizens of the dump peers into the back of Norman’s van and demands to know when he’s going to unload his belongings. (Which he intends to keep, of course.)

My friend was moving away from Yellowknife and had gotten rid of as much furniture as possible through garage sales and classified ads. He loaded the rest in his truck and set out for the dump. On the road in, he passed two vehicles. Glancing in the rear-view mirror, he saw them pull U-turns and race back toward him. The poor man didn’t even get a chance to unload before three or four guys swarmed the back of his half-ton, making snarky comments about the quality of the goods and the speed of the “service.”
What is the significance of the red plaid shirt?
Hmmm. That sounds like an excellent essay topic, and I wouldn’t want to deprive you of the opportunity to exercise your critical thinking skills. ( Seriously though, don’t worry about what I had in mind when I developed the symbol of the red shirt. What’s important is how you, as a reader, believe it works in the story and how it supports the main theme.
Are there any other important symbols in “The Prospector’s Trail?”
If you’re looking for an essay topic, you might want to dig up one of those what-to-call-your-baby books, and find the names of the main characters. You could compare the meaning of their names with how the characters behave in the story. The significance of Norman’s name might require some extra research, but an encyclopedia will help.

Here’s another idea. During their second meeting at the campground, Norman kicks at a chunk of rock, which Roy identifies as fool’s gold. You might want to consider if there are any figurative examples of fool’s gold in the story. For instance, what kind of “gold” is Norman seeking when he first arrives in Yellowknife? How does this change by the end of the story? How does his relationship with Roy affect his perspective of what’s valuable?
Have you always lived in the Northwest Territories?
No – I was born and raised on the Prairies. For the details, please check my biography.
Who is your favourite author?
I have two favourites. The first is Jane Austen, who lived in England from 1775 to 1817. Jane Austen wrote in a style known as “comedy of manners,” which pokes fun at the conventions of society and how people navigate their way through the obstacles society imposes. My other favourite author is Margaret Laurence, who – like me – was born in Manitoba. Miss Laurence, who lived from 1926 to 1987, wrote a number of novels and short stories centred on an imaginary Manitoba town called Manawaka. It was through these works that I first saw how a writer could capture the spirit of a particular place and time.
Are you a full-time fiction writer?
No, unfortunately. During the day I work for the government; I write fiction at night.
Do you have a book published?
Yes! Borealis Press of Ottawa has published The Ugly Truck and Dog Contest and Other Tales of Northern Life. It is available online.

Copyright © Cathy Jewison, 2008. All rights reserved