1. Objectifs

Intentions :
To explore family life in the early nineteenth century, between 1780-1870 in Lower and Upper Canada. « Diaries from this period are particularly useful at showing the extent to which an individual was immersed in a dense social network of family, neighbors and kin. » (p. 7)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
Diaries and correspondence, including the diaries of Amédée Papineau (son of Louis-Joseph), Abraham Joseph, Alfred Stikeman from Lower Canada and Ann Wrong, John Wells, William Hughton Lane, France Tweedie Milne and Eleonora Hallen from Upper Canada; amongst others.

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse de contenu

3. Résumé

This book « looks into the daily lives of middle-class Canadians in the nineteenth century. Using diaries and the letters exchanged between family members, Françoise Noël illuminates the lives of couples as they move from courtship to life after marriage, including the kind of work wives engaged in, telling glimpses of miscarriages, childbirth, and infancy, and rich description of sickness, death and funerals. The engaging personal stories give a vivid picture of the dynamics of extended families and the communities in which they lived. » (quatrième de couverture) The author also explored many other themes such as parent-child relationships, domestic rituals and celebration, family sociability, mutual assistance and reciprocity.