Catherine Parr Traill's "The Backwoods of Canada" takes place during 1836 in Upper Canada. The collection of letters written by the narrator herself, Catherin Parr, vividly describes the hardship during her first two years of living in Canada. Through the countless letters she sends to her family, she describes her everyday life including both the inconveniences she encounters as well as the pleasure she finds living in a natural environment. Her description of the experience allows the people (especially the women) to get a sense of Upper Canada and the mindset that is needed in order to survive in the new land. .
The piece of literature is descriptively written in first person. Catherine describes every bit of detail all the way from start of her voyage. As she makes the first glimpse of the Canadian landscape, she is optimistic about what she sees and looks past the hardship and diseases she is welcomed with. She concentrates on the natural beauty with moving descriptions of the feelings felt during the voyage as she says, "There was a feeling of anxiety and dread upon our minds that we would hardly acknowledge to each other as we drew near to the city of the pestilence, as if ashamed of confessing a weakness that was felt" says Catherine." 1 Closer to the end of the book, Catherin is really convincing about the happiness that is found in Upper Canada as she describes her newly built home and the "handsome Franklin stove with brass gallery and fender." 2 found in her parlour. The accuracy of Catherine's description in her letters enable the readers back home to easily portray a picture in their minds as if they were witnessing what Catherine experiencing. The letters justifies the possibility of having new beginnings in Upper Canada and a successful future that can be created for the people back in Europe. .
Catherine's letters can be said to have a big contribution to Canada's history.