Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey is a coming of age story that filled with suspense and mystery keeping us captivated till the end. Set in the 1960’s in an old mining town if Corrigan, where everyone knows one another. I certainly agree with weartholdcoat’s opinions on the novel, it’s a great thrilling read that keeps you completely hooked. Silvey uses various techniques like narrative and language conventions, theme and Australian context to achieve such a captivating finish. The story is seen through the innocent eyes of a 13 year old boy called Charlie Bucktin. The first person central point of view helps us to understand Charlie, to identify with him and his attitudes and values and for reader positioning. Silvey uses language conventions such as descriptive language, dialogue, diction, register and imagery to construct Charlie’s point of view. Since we only see and know what Charlie does thus this helps us create and certain bond with him as he grows, learns, and faces new problems throughout the novel. The fact that Charlie is a teenager and the readers are provided with teenager reactions the teenager audience is able to identify with the character and why he does things that way. Charlie starts of as a the model son, ever the obedient never to do anything wrong… to eventually losing his innocence and naivety and having a better understanding of what is right and what is wrong. “This is the first time I’ve ever dared to sneak away from home” “…Leaving Corrigan… maybe we could leave together…” Both quotes show the extent of Charlie’s change throughout the novel. Silvey also uses this element to successfully create empathy from the readers and make the book that much more brilliant. Characterisation is crucial for any ... ... middle of paper ... ... 1960’s were against intellect and to discourage, they resorted to physical abuse or bullying. The aforementioned builds empathy and positions the reader to challenge the views of the 1960’s. Similarly when the Shire President who should be a good guy, is in reality a heavy alcoholic and someone who sexually abuses his own children. Henceforth this displays moral duality, a major theme, and correspondingly includes the 1960’s Australian context of alcoholism. Moral duality is also presented through Ruth Bucktin, the Sargent, Mrs Wishart, the town folk and even Eliza Wishart. A big issue of the 1960’s was the racism that was present. Likewise, Corrigan exhibits racism especially on the Vietnamese, Lu family. It is the time of the Vietnam War, national service, recruiting men to fight in Vietnam, and the fear of communism was very much present throughout Australia.
Gary’s House, Debra Oswald, features the story of an Aussie couple facing the reality of adversity. Oswald has represented common beliefs and representations through the four protagonists mainly focusing on Gary and Dave. Many beliefs and values in the book symbolize the dominant stereotypes of an average Australian. Oswald explores the concept of an Aussie battler and how it perpetuates and challenges the common stereotype of Australians.
The diverse alternation of point of views also provides the story an effective way to reach out to readers and be felt. The characterisation is effectively done and applied as Sam, Grace, and the other supporting characters play individual, crucial roles in the course of the story. All the elements of a typical young adult novel, consisting of a gap-filled relationship between children and parents, emotion-driven teenagers, and a unique conflict that makes the book distinct from fellow novels, combined with the dangerous consequences of the challenges the couple encounter, make the book different from all other of the same genre. The plot unfolds slowly giving readers enough time to adjust and anticipate the heavy conflict when it arises. It has gotten us so hooked but the only thing we could possibly dislike about it was the slow pace of plot. The anticipation was too much to handle and we were practically buzzing and bouncing to know how the story turns out as we read. It builds the anticipation, excitement, thrill, sadness, grief, loss, and longing in such an effective way to entice and hook readers further into the world of Sam and
Both ‘The Drover’s Wife’ and ‘The Loaded Dog’ depict life as an Australian during the Colonial period. ‘The Drover’s Wife’ depicts the everyday life of a bush woman and her
Before we look at whether James Moloney effectively uses characterisation to convey Aboriginal issues we must look at the issues themselves. In Dougy, the issue of black and white prejudice is strongly present in the plot. The stereotyping of Aborigines and white Europeans play an important role in the events and the outcome of the story, as is individuality and the breaking of the stereotypes. The book also touches on the old Aboriginal superstitions that are still believed in by some today, though one of such superstitions plays an important role in creating the mood of the resolution. These issues impact most heavily on the character Gracey.
In Jasper Jones, racial power has been reflected through the representation of certain groups and individuals of the 1960s and the conflicts that occurred. At the time in which the text was set being the 1960s, racial prejudice was evident in Australia, especially in rural areas that maintained a parochial and xenophobic society. Aboriginal people were not recognised as citizens of Australia and in some cases, not even as people. They were mistreated and typically seen as uneducated drunkards and criminals. Offspring of white colonists and Aboriginal people were regarded as ‘half-caste’ and were also not acknowledged as Australians. In the same context, there was a growing hatred and resentment towards Vietnamese immigrants due to the impac...
Towards the end of the first paragraph we begin to get more of an insight into what Charlie’s father is really like. The first example of this is “I’d like to take you up to my club, but it’s in the Sixties, and if you have to catch an early train I guess we’d better get something around here”.
Children have often been viewed as innocent and innocent may be a nicer way to call children naive. Since children’s lives are so worry free they lack the knowledge of how to transition from being a child to becoming an adolescent. Their lack of knowledge may be a large part of their difficulties growing up, which could be a few rough years for many. In books like the boy in the striped pajamas the story is told from the point of view of a little boy, this way we get a full view of how innocent he is. In this book the writer shows the reader first hand how a child viewed the holocaust and how his innocence cost him his life. Then in books like the perks of being a wallflower Charlie is a teen whom is struggling with the transition from being a child to becoming an adolescent. In this book the writer gives a first hand look at how difficult it can be to transition into an adolescent. Charlie has many difficulties in this book; he is in search of his identity and how to fit in.
Kent Haruf's novel Plainsong, is a collection of characters and their struggles with an event or events that leave their life changed forever. Using the ideal of values, the reader can discern numerous instances of this ideal and how it impacts the characters and their stories. Analyzing the character of Victoria Rubideaux, the idea of values can be seen in her eviction from her home, her rescue by Maggie Jones, and her new home with the McPherons. Additionally, her search for her unborn child's father also speaks to this theme.
There is particular consideration given to the political climate in this story. It is incorporated with social and ethnic concerns that are prevalent. The story also addresses prejudice and the theme of ethnic stereotyping through his character development. O'Connor does not present a work that is riddled with Irish slurs or ethnic approximations. Instead, he attempts to provide an account that is both informative and accurate.
...ror of Pecola’s first sexual experience: her father rapes her), and a difficult marriage situation (caused by his own drunkenness). The “bads” certainly outweigh the “goods” in his situation. Thus, the reader ought not to feel sympathy for Cholly. But, Morrison presents information about Cholly in such a way that mandates sympathy from her reader. This depiction of Cholly as a man of freedom and the victim of awful happenings is wrong because it evokes sympathy for a man who does not deserve it. He deserves the reader’s hate, but Morrison prevents Cholly covered with a blanket of undeserved, inescapable sympathy. Morrison creates undeserved sympathy from the reader using language and her depiction of Cholly acting within the bounds of his character. This ultimately generates a reader who becomes soft on crime and led by emotions manipulated by the authority of text.
The quotes are significant because they show Charlie's feelings toward the move. In the story Flightsend, Charlie asks what flightsend is supposed to mean. She decides it's an “end to well, to everything that's gone wrong.” It's an end to her old house, a life that Kathy wanted to get away from. But Charlie doesn't want to end that life, she doesn't want to move nor move away from the old life she has already begun. She thought to herself “I don’t want ends. I want beginnings.” It says Charlie wants a beginning but doesn't necessarily want to move and start everything all over, she wants her family to have new hope. She never wants to leave her social life with all her friends. That's why she would always try to convince her mom for them
This book teaches the importance of self-expression and independence. If we did not have these necessities, then life would be like those in this novel. Empty, redundant, and fearful of what is going on. The quotes above show how different life can be without our basic freedoms. This novel was very interesting and it shows, no matter how dismal a situation is, there is always a way out if you never give up, even if you have to do it alone.
One of Silvey’s major ideas in Jasper Jones is coming of age and identity; in this case, Charlie has been thrown into adulthood and forced to grow out of his immature, fearful self. During the novel Charlie starts to mature, show bravery and stand up for himself. This turn of events occur because Charlie chooses to help Jasper: “But I don’t turn back. I stay. I follow Jasper Jones. And I see it. And everything changes. The world breaks and spins and shakes.” (pg. 12). He made a choice between doing what was right and what he thought was fair. He knew Jasper would be immediately blamed for the death of Laura Wishart.
middle of paper ... ... ity going in the last paragraph. The structure of the passage helps the responder to clearly see the changed perspective of the author. The passage starts with the child’s perspective; the writing has almost a curious and flighty feel to it. This feeling is empathized through the use of verbs, adjectives, similes, metaphors, imagery and descriptive and emotive language.
The Catcher in the Rye is not all horror of this sort. There is a wry humor in this sixteen-year-old's trying to live up to his height, to drink with men, to understand mature sex and why he is still a virgin at his age. His affection for children is spontaneous and delightful. There are few little girls in modern fiction as charming and lovable as his little sister, Phoebe. Altogether this is a book to be read thoughtfully and more than once. It is about an unusually sensitive and intelligent boy; but, then, are not all boys unusual and worthy of understanding? If they are bewildered at the complexity of modern life, unsure of themselves, shocked by the spectacle of perversity and evil around them - are not adults equally shocked by the knowledge that even children cannot escape this contact and awareness?