Moncton festival honours literary critic

Writers and literature lovers are in their element in Moncton this weekend, as the second annual Northrop Frye festival honours the literary critic who grew up in Moncton.

Frye's literary criticism has influenced writers around the world. He grew up in Moncton and died in 1991. The festival celebrates his legacy.

There are workshops, readings, and lectures around the city all weekend.

"This year we have authors from five different countries and we have the school program, so we have something for everybody," says Paulette Theriault of the festival.

One of Friday's events was a writing connoisseurs' dream. American writer Robert Bly led about 30 people in a poetry workshop.

Bly, most famous for Iron John which sparked the men's movement, had participants pick random objects and write poems about it.

"What does it weigh?" Bly prompted the writers. "What does it smell like?"

Visiting writers also toured high schools in Moncton Friday. Ontario author Alistair MacLeod read to students at Frye's old high school.

"I think it's nice for people to know their own communities give birth to famous people and it encourages them to be famous in their own right sometime," he said.

MacLeod also took questions from the crowd, and gave them tips on the writing process.

Sometimes students think that where they are living is not the place, it's not Los Angeles, or it's not New York but it is the place," MacLeod said. "Good literature can come from any place where people live and are involved with life.

The Northrop Frye festival continues until Sunday.