I Am The Messenger Michael Gow Analysis

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Good morning everyone,
My interpretation of the quote by Marcel Proust is that there doesn’t need to be a change of location for there to be a discovery, it is all about looking at everyday life with a different view.
Therefore I agree with this quote you don’t change just from going new places however in the case of the texts I've studied there’s something external that promotes the revelation.
Discoveries require something out of the ordinary, a person’s intervention the main trigger for change.
This is conveyed in Michael Gow’s 1986 play Away and Markus Zusak’s 2002 novel I am the Messenger.

Self discovery can be triggered by another individual. In Away, Gow portrays Gwen as a stereotypical character to make the play easily associated with society in the 1960s (when the play was set). Gwen, through her persistent cynical mindset, and her controlling qualities has created conflict with her family. This is portrayed …show more content…

In Away, Coral represents the experiences of those suffering mental illness in the 60’s. The acceptance of this issue in society, is conveyed through corals discovery.
The cultural references to Kim Novak, a romantic motif from Roy and Coral’s youth, reveals what once was Coral and Roy’s relationship. Coral’s discovery of learning to accept her son’s death in the Vietnam War and progression in her relationships; is shown through her interaction with Tom. Who metaphorically and literally teaches her to walk again. Shown through the dialogue “I’m walking, I’m walking” then (in her own voice) “I’m walking.”
Coral also rediscovers her love for Roy through the symbolism of the shells suggesting that she has moved out of her “shell” and accepted her son’s death.
Tom’s presence in Coral’s life has taught her to move past her son’s death and on a broader scale has conveyed to the audience that there is life after death and that you can move past the grief and rekindle past

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