Dawn Sardella-Ayres (2026)
I had the pleasure of being an I-CYS Writing Fellow in March, 2026, continuing my critical work comparing American Gothic with Canadian Gothic, and exploring these issues in the works of Canadian author L.M. Montgomery. As a scholar who usually has to work in isolation without a local academic community, the ability to connect with the scholarly community in Lethbridge to hone ideas was invaluable. Being able to question Canadian Gothic issues whilst on the wind-swept winter prairie of Alberta was a delightful aesthetic touch!
It was particularly gratifying to see how many Lethbridge scholars were interested in the topic of Gothic Montgomery, from a variety of academic backgrounds, and some from just personal interests. I expected three people to show up for my talk, and ended up with 20+! Being able to discuss the specifics of Canadian Gothic and Canadian girls’ literature and bildungsroman with two generations of Canadian scholars and readers provides what reading a book in isolation can’t: personal, dynamic discourse. This luxury, from working with single students writing about Montgomery, to having larger-scale conversations about our reading experiences as girls and women and exploring what continues to haunt us, Gothic-style, allowed me to ask specific questions and interrogate assumptions from my very American perspectives. I look forward to continuing to build relationships and the girls' lit community with the I-CYS.