Darts in the Dark: An Introduction to W.O. Mitchell
Canadian author, humorist and storyteller W.O. Mitchell talks about his career as a writer and performer. Known for his witty radio and television appearances, Mitchell shows a more serious side as he reveals his personal views on writing and on the meaning of life and death. Passages from Who Has Seen the Wind and the Jake and the Kid stories reflect the many facets of this self-proclaimed "folksy foothills philosopher" from the Prairies.
-
directorRobert Duncan
-
writerRobert Duncan
-
producerAndy ThomsonRobert DuncanBob Lower
-
cinematographyAllan Kroeker
-
soundLeon Johnson
-
editingBob Lower
-
sound editingBernard BordeleauKen RodeckDonald Douglas
-
musicRichard Condie
Warnings: Some mild curse words, outdated terms and harmful stereotyping of Indigenous Peoples, full nudity of an infant
Why do you think W.O. Mitchell struggles with the idea of mortality? Look for the major parts of his texts that discuss mortality; do you agree or disagree with his thinking? How important is it for writers to mentor other young writers? How did W.O. Mitchell view mentorship? How does mentorship tie in with diversity and representation? Consider the phrase “Nothing about us without us.” What problems arise when a story about Indigenous people is told by a non-Indigenous person? What other examples of colonial ethnocentrism are presented in Canadian literature?
