The Australian national discourse is examined by David Malouf in his texts to highlight particular features and provide a judgement/s on them. In particular, the use of literary techniques and devices will be focused upon to show how Malouf utilises them in communicating his judgement/s.
The Australian national discourse is rare amongst global discourses due to the view it supports that a war, specifically World War One (W.W.1), was a foundational event in the history of the nation. The discourse supports the belief that W.W.1 was the start of the Australian identity, which was exemplified by the creation of the legendary A.N.Z.A.C soldier that exists to the present day. However, in his works David Malouf disagrees with the view of W.W.1 being …show more content…
The context of World War One (W.W.1) and the lead-up to it is used to represent the changing society in society that is a part of the national discourse. Knox-Shaw (1991) describes it as the stereotypical discourse story-line, that prior to W.W.1 Australia was an infant country in comparison to other countries and after it, it emerged as a new nation. But similarly to ‘The Great World’ the war has a negative effect on the protagonists and does not make them better people. And contrasting the discourse with the true impact of war on people, Malouf demonstrates his judgement that Australians are damaged by war and it is not an important fact to celebrate, or view as a foundational …show more content…
A central aspect to this is the idea of white indigeneity, that a non-indigenous person is formed by the land and becomes almost a part of it. Although the discourse places attention on the landscape transforming people through its gothic features, David Malouf uses imagery to critique the discourse and show that it is an in-correct representation. A prime example of Malouf’s use of imagery is his 1982 text ‘Fly Away Peter’. In the text there is an omniscient narrator who describes the environment that the protagonists live in using imagery to depict one which is contrary to the one portrayed in the discourse. Randal (2011) notes that the omniscient narrator in the text describes the environment using such words as ‘soft’ and ‘great’ which paint the image of a beautiful land. This also provides a contrast to the gothic landscape that the discourse describes and gives the reader a view of the author’s judgment of the discourse. Through this use of imagery, the author provides the idea that the discourse is not a true picture of the Australian landscape and that it needs to be changed. Simultaneously the idea of white indignity is critiqued in the character’s attitudes towards the environment. The discourse suggests that the
The Australian national discourse is rare amongst global discourses due to the view it supports that a war, specifically World War One (W.W.1), was a foundational event in the history of the nation. The discourse supports the belief that W.W.1 was the start of the Australian identity, which was exemplified by the creation of the legendary A.N.Z.A.C soldier that exists to the present day. However, in his works David Malouf disagrees with the view of W.W.1 being …show more content…
The context of World War One (W.W.1) and the lead-up to it is used to represent the changing society in society that is a part of the national discourse. Knox-Shaw (1991) describes it as the stereotypical discourse story-line, that prior to W.W.1 Australia was an infant country in comparison to other countries and after it, it emerged as a new nation. But similarly to ‘The Great World’ the war has a negative effect on the protagonists and does not make them better people. And contrasting the discourse with the true impact of war on people, Malouf demonstrates his judgement that Australians are damaged by war and it is not an important fact to celebrate, or view as a foundational …show more content…
A central aspect to this is the idea of white indigeneity, that a non-indigenous person is formed by the land and becomes almost a part of it. Although the discourse places attention on the landscape transforming people through its gothic features, David Malouf uses imagery to critique the discourse and show that it is an in-correct representation. A prime example of Malouf’s use of imagery is his 1982 text ‘Fly Away Peter’. In the text there is an omniscient narrator who describes the environment that the protagonists live in using imagery to depict one which is contrary to the one portrayed in the discourse. Randal (2011) notes that the omniscient narrator in the text describes the environment using such words as ‘soft’ and ‘great’ which paint the image of a beautiful land. This also provides a contrast to the gothic landscape that the discourse describes and gives the reader a view of the author’s judgment of the discourse. Through this use of imagery, the author provides the idea that the discourse is not a true picture of the Australian landscape and that it needs to be changed. Simultaneously the idea of white indignity is critiqued in the character’s attitudes towards the environment. The discourse suggests that the