The Secret River

A Review of the Secret River The Secret River is a sweeping story of the founding of Australia and the moral choices that created a nation. The novel is about William Thornhill, a poor Waterman from London, who is deported together with his family to New South Wale in 1806. The novel gives a vivid description of William’s first night in the convict settlement in Sydney. The state of conflict between the Aborigines and the settlers, which is the center of novel, is introduced when an Aboriginal…

Secret Revealed-Secret River Short Story The children stood in the line waiting to be photographed for the Sydney newspaper; Yannathan and Maya Blackwood were amongst many other Indigenous mixed race children who were abruptly torn from their families. Yannathan cradled Maya in his arms fearing his life as he witnessed a young boy being brutally bashed for speaking his native language. The children stood there in fear of their lives, they watched as the guards whispered words to one and…

pay a fair price for taking. Matter of give a little, take a little" (Grenville 104). The Secret River is a postcolonial historical novel written by author Kate Grenville. Published in 2005, The Secret River took Grenville “5 years of intense research and 20 drafts” (The Secret River - ONE Hundred Exhibition) before its completion and publication. The first of a three-book series The…

The Secret River by Kate Grenville is set in the 19th century. It tells the story of Australia’s British colonisation through one characters narrative. Grenville presents the opposing concepts of cruelty and compassion to criticize how the British social hierarchy functioned; exploring these notions through the lives of the protagonists as well as the Indigenous people of Australia. William Thornhill interacts with the Indigenous only when needed; mainly to stake and protect the claim on ‘his’…

In the outset of “The Secret River”, Kate Grenville conveys William as a person who steals from others in order for his family to survive, which displays the fact that William is a well respected person among the Thornhills but in the eyes of society he is a thief. However, as the story unfolds, Thornhill shifts to be conveyed as more of a greedy thief and dispossessor of other people who thinks more about himself rather than his family despite having his own opinion on what he thinks is right…

birth are irrelevant - for every man is endowed with the same certain unalienable rights. This phrase independently formed the premise for modern society, its significance remaining highly present in a contemporary environment. Kate Grenville’s The Secret River adopts this foundation of society as a foregrounded theme, addressing the synchronous concern of social inequality through class distinctions. Literary academic Luis Stover asserts quality literature is constituted through the echoing of…

That is until he spoke. Although he modestly showed unmatched meekness, it was clear that this timid little boy hid great secrets. He introduced himself as Harry Potter. After hearing the long and almost unbelievable story of how I accidentally fell into a television and landed in this magical forest where his nondescript house stood, he helpfully suggested that we find the secret door that lay behind the antique golden book shelf that could be opened by the special golden key in the hidden…

Both unconscious and conscious psychological mechanisms influence an individual to a large extent. Psychological mechanisms such as splitting and dissociation affect an individual’s behavior, worldview, and role in their environment. In addition, psychological mechanisms may also impact how an individual responds to the events he or she encounters. Martha Stout, the author of “When I Woke Up Tuesday Morning, It Was Friday” tells stories about how her patients were affected by trauma and explains…

attribute to have in a companion. Next, Frank wrote her diary in 1942 through 1944 while hiding in the attic of an office building nicknamed the "Secret Annex", located in Amsterdam. At the time, Frank's secluded attic was an ideal place, compared to being dead or in a concentration camp. Personally, I wouldn't consider visiting the Secret Annex during Nazi Germany. This is due to the Frank's uncertainty of their safety. Anne goes into depth about how the situation was ideal for the time.…

know you need each other, with friends their different. Five: Best Friends will always keep your secret. Best friends will always respect your wish to keep something confidential. No matter how small the secret is or how important it is they will always respect your wishes. Friends you can never be sure if they have your best interests at heart. Many would just say that you shouldn’t be telling your secrets anyway, but telling someone does take a load off your shoulders and telling your best…