Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands

How does the subject matter in Ducks compare to Beaton’s work on Hark! A Vagrant? Does she represent these differences visually? What links do you see between the two?

Beaton’s webcomics were published serially. What is the effect of presenting Ducks as a single graphic novel rather than publishing strips or pages separately? How might the story change if it were published serially?

Another of Beaton’s books is a children’s book, The Princess and the Pony. While the audience and content are very different, they share themes and ideas. What is gained from exploring these ideas across genres?

Research the museum where Katie worked in Victoria. What sorts of objects does it display? Does this create deeper symbolism in the text?

Beaton wrote Ducks to convey a lesser-known perspective of working in the oil sands as a woman. Consider another lesser-known perspective, like the First Nations people affected by the oil sands. What would the story look like from their point of view?

Consider the discussions of class in the book in the context of contemporary Canadian politics and Canadian labor history. What is Beaton saying about class dynamics in Canada? Is there hope for improvement in her book?

Analyze the time period of the book. Would the effects be different in a different temporal setting (like 2024 instead of 2005) or if it took place over a different length of time (like five years instead of two)? Why or why not?

Choose one of Katie’s relationships and analyze it. How did this relationship affect her experience? What kind of relationship was it? Could it have existed outside of the oil sands?