As Birds Bring Forth the Sun

In the short story, As Birds Bring Forth the Sun”, the author, Alistair MacLeod, has many

techniques with which he uses to grab the readers attention..Although there are many themes

within this story, I found that one of the major themes is death and how the cu` mor glas haunts

this Highland family for six generations. I believe that MacLeod is portraying how ideas and

beliefs about death get started and how tales are passed through the generations. MacLeod uses

many symbols within the story, which this Highland family see and understand as death

haunting or coming for them.

The story begins with a large, nameless, man who finds a puppy at the end of his gateway

and he takes the puppy in and begins to care for her. The man cared for the dog, even when she

was injured and his family told him to get rid of her the man insisted that he care for her. The

grey dog grew to a massive size and was strongly bonded with the man. Eventually the man

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