The pursuit and importance of family and the identity of the Calum Ruadh clan in No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod is significant to the concept that blood is thicker than water . The importance of family, as indicated in No Great Mischief, is very evident to the main point of emphasis in this deeply emotional Gaelic-Canadian tale. One idea that arises in No Great Mischief[, is MacLeod's ability to demonstrate to readers that it is impossible to talk about Scottish-Canadian heritage without mentioning family history, loyalties and connections. It is common for an individual to discuss all three factors when talking about family or their past in general. However, in No Great Mischief, MacLeod successfully manages to highlight each factor and outline them in great detail. Therefore, the meaning of family and identity in No Great Mischief is manifested through family history, loyalty, and typical relationships such as family bonds, typically relationships. Together, all three of these components construct Alistair Macleod's No Great Mischief. In No Great Mischief, the family bloodline introduced in the novel traces back to the MacDonalds, who are the most numerous of the great Scottish Highland clan. The MacDonald clan became powerful due to their ability to train their men to become great fighters and were often tested in battle. The Scottish Highlanders have played a vital role in the political uprisings of Scottish history. One of the riots outlined in No Great Mischief was the Glencoe Massacre in 1692. The Glencoe Massacre, as the narrator tells it, was due to this branch of the MacDonald clan being attacked by troops with whom they had been feuding for a fortnight. under order... half of the sheet... identity. In No Great Mischief, the reader witnesses the importance of family. MacLeod's explores all aspects of the MacDonald family, examining family history, loyalty and family ties. The points I made above are crucial, as they manage to identify what the focus of No Great Mischief is. No Great Mischief is constructed in a way that makes the reader understand that identity comes from family. Works Cited MacLeod, Alistair. No big damage. Toronto, Ontario: Emblem Editions, 2001. Print.Marston, Daniel. The French and Indian War, 1754-1760. New York: Routledge, 2003. Print."Glencoe, Massacre of (13 February 1692)." The Companion to British History, Routledge. London: Routledge, 2001. Creed Reference. Network. 03 December 2013. PrintEichler, Leah. "Alistair MacLeod: Of the Scots in Canada." The Publishers Weekly 247.17 (2000): 54. Print.