Throughout Ducks, Beaton locates the sources of our larger divisions in the combination of economic desperation, inflexible hierarchies (like the out-of-touch management of the energy company that pays a visit), toxic masculinity that limits the human potential of both men and women, and alienation from our natural environment, all experienced at an intensely personal level. The sense of grievance heartlanders bear toward “condescending coastal elites” (who are, of course, not so elite) elegantly captured in that simple exchange sounds a familiar tone on both sides of the border and beyond, where frustration has boiled over into tribalistic anger. But if you’re going to stay and… fill your pockets with Alberta money… then maybe shut your f-ing mouths!” “If Newfoundland is so amazing, then go back there! There’s plenty who would replace you gladly. In one fascinating scene, an oil field worker from Alberta confronts his coworkers from other parts of the country who look down on the bleak industrial wasteland and count the days until they can go home.
She is also remarkably observant of sociological nuance. The easy choices, Ducks makes clear, are for those who can afford them.īeaton may have strong opinions but she allows her characters to speak for themselves, often eloquently, despite having some alarming things to say. Report the abuses of coworkers and get branded a “troublemaker” with the employer and colleagues, or suffer in silence. Find virtuous, life-affirming employment that doesn’t pay the bills, or take a well-paid job in an odious industry under the worst possible conditions – in either case leaving home and family behind with all that entails. Either make terrible compromises in exchange for the possibility of freedom to someday pursue life objectives, or face constant downward economic pressure over decades. The threat of economic dislocation leaves Beaton (and just about everyone working in industries like the oil sands) with only bad options.
Ducks is a coming-of-age story but the motivating driver behind the hero’s journey is the cold logic of capitalism. Though the book takes place in the mid-aughts, it documents tensions that define our current moment. What elevates Ducks beyond simple mastery of craft are the social overtones. Kate talks with one of her coworkers in a scene from her 2022 graphic novel DUCKS.
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