The stranger (survenant) represents an important theme in Quebec literature of the second half of the twentieth century. This book analyses the role of the survenant in five major novels dating from 1945 to 1992 and shows how the theme is constantly reworked and revitalised by the authors selected. The arrival of a survenant in a community brings to the surface the conflicts and tensions which had been latent. The consequences can be tragic for all concerned. At the least the community is changed forever. This is the first study of the way in which different Quebecois authors treat the survenant and should be of interest to all students of Quebec literature and culture.