The Land of Afternoon: A Satire

"The Land of Afternoon: A Satire" by Gilbert Knox is an early 20th-century novel that uses humor to question Canadian society and politics through the eyes of Marjorie Dilling. It tells the story of Marjorie and her husband, Raymond, as they move from Pinto Plains to Ottawa, where Marjorie feels out of place. The story starts with Marjorie in Ottawa's busy Byward Market, feeling alone and struggling to fit in. Her difficulty buying sweetbreads shows how uncomfortable she is with the city's social life, and the difference between the market's chaos and her memories of her peaceful country home shows her inner conflict. As the story unfolds, Marjorie tries to cope with life in the capital, wanting to connect with others but facing a formal and exclusive social scene.