This course examines a wide selection of texts from Canadian writers. The term “major” from the title situates the course as one focused on writers who are well-established and/or significant within discussions concerning Canadian writing or the “national literary canon.” Our texts will act as springboards for discussions of (a) themes, topics, styles, characters, languages, and genres; (b) the historical context within which the work was written; and (c) the relevant critical lenses through which our text may be considered. Our goal is to immerse ourselves within the texts that have come to define the Canadian landscape, and to engage with the voices that have worked to provide such a definition.