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Yifan Sun
Dr. Sandra Friesen
ENGL 1129
4 July, 2025
Redefining Cultural Preservation: Heritage and Commerce in Andrew Unger’s
Once Removed
In the small fictional town of Edenfeld, Manitoba, the past is seen as an obstacle to
modernization. Andrew Unger’s Once Removed presents a small community at a crossroads
where the march of “progress,” championed by the town’s mayor, threatens to erase its history
one heritage building at a time. Through the evolution of Timothy as a writer and Katie’s unique
approach towards tradition, and the abundant food-related symbolism, the novel demonstrates
that heritage cannot be preserved by passive, anonymous acts, but must instead be defended
through the power of public and honest narrative, intellectual engagement and evolving cultural
practices.
Through Timothy Heppner’s evolution as a writer, the novel argues that anonymous,
passive preservation is an inadequate response to the inevitable forces of commercialism,
ultimately forcing him to embrace public authorship and honest storytelling as the only effective
form of resistance. Timothy initially believes he can safely preserve history from a distance
through ghostwriting, as he states, “the work grounds me, gives me the sense that, despite
everything I’m destroying during my day job, perhaps, in some way, I’m helping to restore it in
the evening” (53). The deliberate use of vague and uncertain language in “perhaps” and “in some
way” suggests that Timothy is not confident of his own effectiveness in preserving the town’s
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history. Instead of actively fighting back, he is trying to rationalize his inaction to sooth his
conscience. This moral rationalization is emphasized in the word “sense,” suggesting that
Timothy’s statement is based on his emotions instead of facts. However, Timothy’s self-delusion
is shattered when he learns the mayor has systematically dismantled his client base, as Mrs.
Friesen reveals, “BLT got to them all. Surely you must have suspected as much” (191).
Mrs. Friesen’s assertion not only confirms that Timothy’s passivity offers no protection but also
accuses him of his willful ignorance to the BLT’s sabotage. The line "Surely you must have
suspected as much” implies that the signs of sabotage have been obvious, yet Timothy chooses
not to see them (needs proof). The actions the mayor takes to target Timothy proves that
preservation is ultimately a political act(what is a political act), demanding one to openly take a
side, and that Timothy’s attempt to remain neutral and discreet has been a strategic failure.
Realizing the necessity to make a stand, Timothy finally puts his name on the Edenfeld book and
presents it to the town officials. After reviewing the book, one of the elders states, “We like the
book, the part about our future, anyway. We think it could be valuable to the community. It’ll
give people hope. Something we can all work towards. Like a mission statement” (220).
Although Timothy depicts a bleak, dystopian warning about the town’s future, the town’s
leadership, blinded by their greed for over-commercialization, misinterprets it as a hopeful
“mission statement.” This dramatic irony demonstrates the effectiveness of honest, albeit satirical
storytelling. The satirical language works as a “Trojan horse,” bypassing the town officials’
censorship. While his intended critique of the town’s current trajectory may be lost to the town’s
leadership, his message is understood by other readers in Edenfeld, generating more sympathy
towards the movement to preserve the town’s heritage.
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As Timothy discovers the power of public, honest narrative, his wife, Katie BrandtHeppner, proves that heritage and tradition does not have to be rigid and constraining. She
actively questions the sociological impact of Mennonite practices, embodying an intellectual
approach towards preservation that is immune to physical destruction. At Katie’s baptism, after
being told to wear loose-fitting clothes and no white, she shows up in “ripped denim jeans and a
blazing white Sonic Youth T-shirt” (39). While Katie does not refuse to participate in the
baptism, a core heritage of her community, her clothing choice reflects her refusal to the premise
that participation in traditions requires conformity. Her act of rebellion is emphasized by her
choice of a “Sonic Youth T-shirt,” a rock band known for challenging norms and creating
unconventional music, highlighting her stance to contest heritage as a static, unchanging museum
piece, but something that could accommodate the identities of new generations. In contrast to
preservation society’s focus on physical artifacts, Katie’s attitude towards her heritage presents
itself in the thesis she is working on for grad school: “gender performativity in traditional
Mennonite households” (44). Her approach reframes heritage not as artifacts that need to be
protected, but as a social construct to be analyzed and studied. By questioning the how and why
of Mennonite traditions, Katie is bringing modern relevance to age-old practices. And in
documenting the nuances of Edenfield’s traditions in an academic paper, she has protected them
from complete erasure by commercial and political forces. Katie’s commitment to intellectual
heritage is not confined to her academic work, she also engages in direct actions such as planting
“banned” books at a community book sale during which she states, “They’ve got plenty of books
here, no one will notice if I plant a few. I’ve penciled in five cents on the first page so somebody
will buy them. These books might change lives” (108). By smuggling in the books of Elsie
Dyck, an author who has been “exiled” for telling uncomfortable truths about Edenfeld, Katie is
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offering the town a narrative other than that of the mayor, BLT Wien. The fact that she expects
“these books [to] change lives” reveals her focus on the future of the town rather than the past. In
preserving these uncomfortable but honest stories of Edenfeld past, Katie hopes for a brighter
Edenfeld future where people continue to question oppressive narratives and think for
themselves.
While Timothy and Katie consciously develop their own unique methods of preservation,
the novel also contends that some heritage, such as food related ones, endures organically
through cultural practices that have evolved to coexist with commercial pressures, and these
living traditions continue to connect people to their history. After the society accomplishes its
covet mission of straightening signs for the Lepp and the Hiebert housebarns, the society
members were invited in by Mrs. Hiebert to enjoy some snack, and the narrator described an
unexpected discovery:
[Mrs.Hiebert] explained that there had been a mishap a week earlier that sent two
cast-iron frying pans tumbling to the ground, damaging the flooring. This
occurred while cooking roll kuchen, a dangerous task that involves boiling grease
and often results in third-degree burns, but one that brave Edenfelders willingly
suffer for the greater good of the community. “What’s that?” Katie asked. Mrs.
Hiebert pulled up a chair and, once seated, leaned down to remove more of the
linoleum, revealing a beautiful, hand-painted floral pattern in red and green. Only
a few inches were showing, and it had faded over time, but it was stunning
nonetheless. “Edenfeld women used to paint their floors like this,” she said. “In
the old days, I mean.” (62)
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The linoleum has been broken while cooking roll kuchen, a traditional Mennonite dish,
revealing the beautiful painted floor underneath. This scene symbolizes that the
unpredictable nature of practicing living traditions can break through barriers such as
time and modernization, leading to the recovery of lost history. The symbolism suggests
that some traditions or practices have a life of their own, and they not only persevere on
their own, but also connect people to customs that have perished. Soon after Timothy
begins to write about the history of Edenfeld, he receives an ominous package in the form
of “a very dodgy-looking loaf of bread—hard as a rock— and an unsigned note that said,
I know what you’re baking” (115). This act of passive aggression is clearly orchestrated
by an agent of BLT, who is actively trying to discourage Timothy from exposing the
“unfavourable” stories of the town that contradict the mayor’s narrative. While the gift of
food is traditionally considered to represent hospitality and nourishment, it is used in this
scene as a political tool for intimidation. This contrast highlights the adaptability of
certain practices, how deeply intertwined they are to the core of a community. Ironically,
even the advocates of commerce and anti-heritage continue to communicate through this
tradition, proving its inseparable connection to the community.