Literary Techniques In Fly Away Peter

‘life wasn’t for anything, it simply was’
Written by Australian writer, David Malouf, in 1982, ‘Fly Away Peter’ is an exceptional novel exploring the brutality of the First World War and the madness of mankind, in contrast to the continuous and unstoppable cycle of nature. The main plot follows main character, Jim Saddler, through his journey of self-discovery as he makes the life-threatening decision to join the horrors of war at the Armentieres trenches. To convey his central notions, Malouf effortlessly demonstrates the use of various literary techniques, in particular the use of symbolism, repetition, foreshadowing and juxtaposition.
Malouf’s overarching idea of the continuous and cyclic nature of life is remarkably evident throughout

Before Jim decides to leave to war, both he and Imogen were enthralled by the migration of birds, which Imogen

To demonstrate the physical supremacy of nature over man, Malouf discusses nature’s reclamation of the land prior to battle; ‘the blasted trees had renewed themselves with summer growth’. TALK ABOUT IMAGERY AND READER. Jim’s death is yet another example of the unbroken cycle of life, as Malouf transitions his character from reality to the afterlife without any pause or clear ending. This once again emphasised the idea that even when a life stops, the process of life continues and stays in motion. Even Malouf’s description of Jim’s bandage that could ‘stretch halfway around the world, to the coast, to home’ was symbolic of his mind and spirit metaphorically returning home after death; returning to what he came from. This process is both comforting and daunting for the reader, as they are reassured that their own lives will return to eternity after death, however they are also reminded of the insignificance their role has in comparison to the grand purpose of the