AMUNDSEN

 Characters 

Vivien Hyde – Protagonist, teacher

            Alister Fox – Doctor, rude in nature

            Mary – Talk active girl, boisterous in nature

Anabel – Friend of Mary

Matron

Mary’s mother – She works in Sanitorium

  

Plot Summary :

            

Like the story “To Reach Japan”, the story “Amundsen” also begins in the railway station.  Viven Hyde is the protagonist a college graduate from Toronto who moves to Amundsen.  Ontario at the end of the Second World War.  Amundsen was a remote wooded area ninety miles Northeast of the city.  Hyde begins her career in Sanitorium as an elementary-school-age children’s teacher.  They were affected by Tuberculosis.  People in Amundsen were dealing with life and death closer to home.  If someone doesn’t show up for work, you assume the worst.

            Alister Fox, a lung surgeon and Hyde’s boss who appointed Hyde to “The San”.  Dr. Fox is blunt, practical, to the point of crudeness and arrogant.  He indifferently informs Hyde that “Some of these children will reenter the world and some not”.Though Vivien Hyde gets close with the students, taking attendance is a somber task.  When a student is absent, it is out of complication of TB or a failed operation.  Vivien is firstly introduced to? Mary, when and boisterous daughter of the Sanitorium Kitchen Manager.  She doesn’t have TB and she is attending her first year school in town.  She calls Dr. Fox as “Reddy” or  “Reddy Fox”.

            Despite the gloomy state among Sanitorium staff, she gets along with everyone.  Mary shows a path to the lodging of Hyde and sells her a ticket to the high school’s play, Pinafore in which she is cast Hyde tries to befriend with her.  Later Vivien Hyde is invited over for dinner on the night performance by Alister Fox.  She feels guilty about missing the play.  Alister dismisses it as dreadful.  Hyde falls in love with him.  Alister gives the address to her.  Next time, they have dinner together.  Mary performs for Vivien. She also brings her valentine cookies.  Vivien shocks to see Alister ignoring Mary and rudely forces her to leave.  After he drives Mary home, Vivien goes to bed with him and Dr.Fox promises to marry Viven.  He also insists on a minimalist wedding within two days.

            Later, they travel to Huntsville to get married at the town hall.  Alister mind suddenly gets changed and he doesn’t explain her a reason.  He drives her to the Huntsville train station and pays her way to Toronto abruptly.  Vivien restrains herself to run behind him.  Meanwhile, Mary is her basketball team from a lost match.  Although Mary is oblivious and draws strength from Vivien because she doesn’t seem to be upset after being treated badly by Alister herself.  After a year later, Vivien is married to someone and lived in Toronto.  Accidently, she sees Alister.  He is eager to know the present state of her.  She says “Fine. Happy”.  All he says is “Good for you”.  Munro ends story with Vivien observing that “nothing changes really about love”.