Mavis Gallant on her work

The chapter divisions reflect both the step-by-step process of covering one
story at a time as well as the themes and literary references that Mavis
Gallant chose to dwell on. Special attention is given to the so-called
interconnected stories, including the Henri Grippes and the Linnet series.
Mavis Gallant’s comments on the genesis of each story inevitably led to
broader considerations on the subject of the creative process, raw material,
fiction, and reality. Because these comments come in response to questions on
her work, they allow a glimpse of the construction of the stories while giving
us insight into the writer’s craft. The second part of this volume includes
the summaries of Gallant’s two novels and of the short stories in the Selected
Stories. The purpose of these summaries is to guide the reader through the
conversations with Mavis Gallant and also to provide useful references to all
students and academics wishing to embark on a critical analysis of Mavis
Gallant’s work.