The Importance Of Family In Break Of Day By Tony Palmer

The novel break of day is written by Tony Palmer it is about

a couple of brothers from outback Australia that go to war in

Papua New Guinea. Palmer explores the ideas of family,

bravery and death throughout the book. The next few topics.

The importance of family, Bravery and death. Will be looking

into how palmer explored these themes throughout the

novel break of day

The importance of family

Throughout the novel the Barrets the main family look out

for each other and are very protective of each other. One

case of this is when the whole family are at a march that is

organized by the families of a church to support rights for

homeless people, Murrays mum gets into a quickly heated

discussion with a man who is against the march he then gets

It is brave to look out for others even if you have to stand up

to your friend (“Don’t shout Frank some of these blokes will

be pretty nervous.”) This is Murray talking to one of his

mates Frank he stands up and tells him not to shout because

some of the other soldiers aren’t as brave as him all of this

proves that Palmer displayed bravery throughout the book

the break of day.

Death

Death comes in more than one way for example when uncle

Jack dies at home of sickness he picked up from his war.(“My

uncles breathing became thinner and drier until eventually

it stopped”) This proves that uncle Jack died at home of

sickness from war

Death happens everywhere. People are always dying in war

This is shown by Palmer throughout the novel (“I don’t

Know Will said, like a lot of those blokes who were killed

along that track, he’s lying in the scrub someplace.

Forgotten.”) This proves that people do not just die in the

comfort of their own country but at war as well. This proves

Palmer has examples of death throughout the novel.

Analyse and explore how Tony Palmer depicts the themes of

family, bravery and death in the narrative of the break