The Mountain and the Valley intricately weaves together the evolving awareness of its protagonist, David Canaan, with the intricacies of thought and emotion that transcend mere actions. The narrative mirrors the intellectual pursuits of David and his creator, Ernest Buckler, as they both strive for precision in thought and articulation, seeking the perfect word. As the story unfolds, David's longing for meaning beyond his provincial life is poignantly portrayed.

In Search of Purpose

The novel begins with David gazing out of his kitchen window, contemplating the highway and distant mountain symbolizing his aspirations beyond Entremont, the village where he has lived for three decades. His grandmother, positioned behind him, is absorbed in creating a rug from old clothes that once belonged to their family. This opening scene of solitude is echoed in the "Prologue" and "Epilogue," framing a narrative interspersed with flashbacks that divulge the history of this rural Nova Scotia community.

Childhood Dreams and Tragedy

As a young boy, David eagerly anticipated climbing the mountain, but his journey with his father and brother is abruptly halted by the tragic drowning of two community members. These men were fathers to David's and his brother Chris’s girlfriends, Effie and Charlotte. Stricken by the loss, David finds himself drawn closer to Effie, culminating in a spontaneous kiss during a school Christmas play. The act surprises Effie and evokes laughter from the audience, leaving David embarrassed and isolated. Despite his academic prowess, David finds himself unable to fully engage with the community’s agricultural life, always existing on its periphery.

Love, Loss, and Guilt

While Chris and Charlotte experience sexual encounters effortlessly, David's intimacy with Effie at fourteen leads to disaster when they are caught, and later, Effie dies from leukemia after another encounter in a cold field. David is haunted by guilt over her death. Around the same period, David befriends Toby Richmond from Halifax, but this connection also fades when Toby marries Anna and moves away. Determined to escape his small-town confines after clashing with his father over farming chores, David contemplates leaving but ultimately stays, enduring further trials during farm work. His father and brother's slaughtering of pigs results in a painful injury for David, marking yet another scar on his life, compounded by the eventual loss of his parents and Chris’s departure.

The Journey to the Summit

In the novel's concluding passages, David revisits the opening scene at the window, while his grandmother pieces together the tapestry of their past. Leaving the farm behind, David ascends the mountain, seeking a mystical connection with nature. As he nears the peak, memories flood back, revealing his ambition to be the world's greatest writer—a shift from his initial desire to be a renowned general. Upon reaching his symbolic destination, David succumbs to the elements, blanketed by snow.

A Moment of Clarity

In David’s final moments, the story reaches its zenith as he experiences a profound realization. The narrative beautifully captures his epiphany, "A partridge rose in the grey-laden air. Its heavy body moved straight upward for a minute, exactly. But David did not see that." With death, he achieves the clarity he sought throughout his life, finding the precise word to harmonize language, vision, and action. This ultimate insight marks the culmination of his journey, blending the aspirations of a lifetime with the serenity of the natural world.