Biography of Farley Mowat - Essay Example

Farley was sent by the Canadian government to the Canadian Arctic where he got a chance to study the wolves closely. This experience had a significant impact on him as it drew him close to nature and prompted him to write most of his earlier works like ‘People of the Deer’ in 1952, ‘Lost in the Barrens in 1956, and ‘Never Cry Wolf’ in 1963 (Famous Canadians). It was during this stay that Mowat witnessed the unfair treatment of the Inuit and the abuse of the environment.
This encouraged him to become a strong protagonist of the Inuit rights and the protection of the environment. Mowat’s writings finally caught the attention of the Canadian government and they began to recognize the rights of the Inuit and started to provide them with basic facilities which they were previously denied (Orange). Mowat’s writings have been subject to criticism about whether they are based on fact or fiction. Despite this criticism, He has written more than thirty books and most of them have been rightly honored. Canadian literature owes a lot to his writings. He has taken nature writing and children’s literature to new heights His stories provide food for thought to the younger generation, providing them information on important topics like the conservation of the environment and hence bringing them close to nature. Being a strong advocate of environmental causes, he has provided Canadians with a different point of view regarding nature and the environment (New). He was banned from entering the US because of his criticism of US environmental Policies and Mowat wrote a book “My discovery of America” in retaliation (Mowat).

Accomplishments:
Farley Mowat has received many awards and honors for his work. In 1995, he received the Anisfield-Wolf award for ‘People of the Deer’ in recognition of his contribution to interracial kindred (Hochman). He has also received Leacock Medal for Humor for ‘The Boat Who Wouldn't Float’ (The Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour). His ‘Lost in the Barrens’ earned him the Governor General’s Medal in the year 1957 and the Book of the Year Award by the Canadian Association of Children’s Librarians. Farley’s stories have always been loved by the general public, especially children and that is the reason he has accomplished a lot in his writing career. He is also a recipient of the Hans Christian Andersen International Award, the Boys' Clubs of America Junior Book Award, the National Association of Independent Schools Award, and many more (King). He was also entitled the Author of the year in 1988 by the Canadian Booksellers Association (Thomson).

His books have promulgated Canadian literature around the world which truly makes him a pride of his country.