Sunflower Seeds : Klein’s Hero and Demagogue

The author examines Montreal poet A.M. Klein's (1909-1972) motivations for writing the poem "Political Meeting" (1946) where he describes The Orator as "a country uncle with sunflower seeds in his pockets." Klein's The Orator was based on Montreal Mayor Camillien Houde who had spoken out strongly against conscription during the Second World War. The author points out that, at the time, "Klein, as a Jew, had little sympathy with those who interfered with the war against Hitler, and when Houde was interned without trial by the Mackenzie King government, Klein certainly did not object." However, when Klein wrote the poem after the war was over, his attitude towards Houde had evolved. The author remarks that while Klein "still clearly disapproves of Houde's position as represented by the Orator, his attitude seems less simple than before... He is not satisfied simply to condemn the Orator as an evil man; he is interested in exploring the strength of his appeal, and, through exploring it, he discovers that he himself is not immune to it, whatever he may think of the Orator's ultimate aims."

Canadian Literature : A Quarterly of Criticism and Review

No. 82

48-58

Autumn 1979

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