There Will Be Blame: Misfortune and Injustice in 'The Sweet Hereafter'

Abstract:     
This paper compares the two versions of "The Sweet Hereafter": Russell Banks' novel and Atom Egoyan's film. It contends that commentators have been too quick to criticize the lawyer who comes to town offering to represent the parents' interests. It argues that as good as the film is, the novel provides a more nuanced view of the human necessity to assign blame when injustices occur. It draws on the work of Charles Tilly to examine issues of credit and blame that run through both the novel and the film.

Keywords: The Sweet Hereafter, Russell Banks, Atom Egoyan, Charles Tilly, blame, tort, litigators, attorneys, lawyers

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