From Colonialism to Climate Crisis

Polar Bears in the Fiction of James Hogg, Helen McClory and Vicki Jarrett

Abstract

This article focuses on three Scottish texts, The Surpassing Adventures of Allan Gordon by James Hogg (1837), “The Companion” by Helen McClory (2018) and Always North by Vicki Jarrett (2019), all of which are set in the Arctic and feature polar bears. It argues for a reading of these literary works as showcasing two distinct stages in our relationship with the Arctic, as seen from a European (British/Scottish) perspective. The first text represents early nineteenth-century attitudes towards the Arctic, reflecting imperialistic and gendered ideas of the time. The latter two texts reveal significant changes in outlook, demonstrating acute awareness of – and sense of guilt regarding – the impact of anthropogenic climate change. The figure of the polar bear, the animal most associated with the Artic, is pivotal to all three authors’ treatment of these issues. The texts feature polar bears as companion figures central to our relationship with the Arctic, with the latter two inviting a reading of the bears as spectral beings symbolic of an ‘environmental haunting’ that reflects the current climate crisis. Additionally, these modern texts incorporate Indigenous perspectives, portraying the polar bear as a spiritual guide and a symbol of resilience, thus enriching the narrative with traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and highlighting the interdependence of all living beings.