Scratching the Surface: Marian Engel's 1970s Writing.

The article examines the pervasive concern that Marian Engel demonstrated in her writing for the marginalized of Canadian society. It notes that her focus was primarily on women, but it included members of Canada's indigenous and minority communities as well as the mentally and physically challenged. It adds that the predominant settings of her novels and short stories are urban Toronto and rural Ontario, with her characters' lives unfolding in public and private places from city streets.