Merle Shain
Merle Shain
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Merle Shain was a Canadian poet, writer, and activist, born as Merle Ruth Shaw on March 26, 1938.
Birth and Death Dates
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- Born: March 26, 1938
- Died: December 4, 2008
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Shain was a Canadian citizen by birth and profession. She worked as a poet, writer, and activist throughout her life.
Early Life and Background
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Merle Shain grew up in the United States, where she developed an interest in social justice and activism from an early age. Her family moved to Canada when she was young, and she spent most of her life there. Shain's experiences as a woman, mother, and activist had a profound impact on her writing.
Major Accomplishments
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Shain published several books of poetry and non-fiction throughout her career. Some of her notable works include:
The Last Will and Testament of Seneca Black (1985)
Falling for Life: Moving from Grief to Joy (2001)
These publications showcase Shain's commitment to exploring the complexities of life, love, loss, and personal growth.
Notable Works or Actions
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Shain was an outspoken advocate for women's rights, social justice, and environmental causes. Her writing often addressed themes such as:
Feminism: Shain's poetry and essays frequently explored the experiences of women in society.
Environmentalism: She wrote about the importance of preserving the natural world and promoting sustainable living.
Shain's activism extended beyond her writing; she was an active participant in various social movements throughout her life.
Impact and Legacy
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Merle Shain's work continues to be widely read and studied today. Her commitment to exploring complex themes through poetry and non-fiction has left a lasting impact on readers. Shain's legacy can be seen in the many writers, activists, and thinkers who have been inspired by her work.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Merle Shain is widely quoted or remembered for her thought-provoking poetry and essays that tackle difficult topics with sensitivity and insight. Her writing continues to resonate with readers today, offering a powerful reminder of the importance of compassion, social justice, and personal growth.
Shain's life and work serve as a testament to the power of words to inspire change and promote understanding.
Quotes by Merle Shain
Merle Shain's insights on:
We are all persons courtesy of someone else, and since we need others to perceive us in order to experience ourselves, it is very hard to like yourself when those nearest you seem to doubt your worth. And when those around you don’t see you as you want to see yourself, it is only too easy to lose the way and start auditioning instead for them.
I overheard a young man once saying to his wife, “I can’t control you. That’s the problem and it’s been the problem ever since day one!” And then I heard her answer him and heard her terrible voice. “No!” she said. “The problem isn’t that you can’t control me, the problem is that you’re trying to. Why don’t you stop worrying about controlling me and start worrying about controlling yourself?
The older I get, the clearer it becomes to me that no one is cheated in this world, unless it’s by himself.
Marriage is supposed to do everything, like Duz, which is more than half its problem. It is said to save us, define us, give us purpose, keep us from loneliness, and incidentally balance our diet and wash our socks, and when it doesn’t, we get divorced.
One can’t run in a park without a dog or make angels in the snow without a child and there are things one can’t do without a lover, so the loss of the lover is like an amputation and the patient goes into shock.
Perhaps the old view of ‘Me breadwinner, you hausfrau’ worked for our grandparents, when people obligingly popped off before boring each other to death, but it won’t work any longer because we are living too long and divorce is needed today to do what death acomplished more economically before.
No marriage is one person’s failure any more than it’s one person’s success, so it works best to see a marriage that has ended simply as something that didn’t work out.
Friends are like windows through which you see out into the world and back into yourself. If you don’t have friends you see much less than you otherwise might.
The answer doesn’t lie in learning how to protect ourselves from life-it lies in learning how to become strong enough to let a bit more of it in.