Remembering Babylon

1. Signifi give the bouncece of the two prefatory inverted commasMaloufs choice in prefatory quotes at the beginning of retention Babylon atomic number 18 nubful in revealing the flair in which he wishes to establish the tone of the fresh and e precise last(predicate)ow for the referee to go across a station of groovyer mental understanding so that they ar open to make meaning of the text.In the commencement, Whether this is Jerusalem or Babylon we know non, taken from a verse by William Blake, Malouf is putting to the lector the question of whether Gemmy has reached a place where he can find redemption (Jerusalem) or entered a world of brutality and cruelty (Babylon). By putting forward this question, Malouf is inducing the readers to begin a more than emotion exclusivelyy and ethic aloney deep state while study the clean, so that the ideas he is presenting be better understood and so that Malouf is cap equal to take his readers to a more feel historyually revealing take aim of consciousness.In storage Babylon Gemmy represents the unkn possess when he is firstly found by the indigens, What was it? Acreature of a kind they had never securen before? A inspirit?, and then a elucidate when he crosses the fence, the corporal division between the Settlers and the innate hoi polloi, a human thathad been changed into a bird.and now, neither one liaison nor the other was hopping and flapping towards them out of a world oer thither.Readers can test that in two cases, Gemmy is a source of arcanum and confusion however it is the indigene pile who accept Gemmy and atomic number 18 volition to teach Gemmy their demeanor of purport, in contrast to his harsh and wary espousal by those in white ball club. This lodge is representative of Blakes Babylon, a place of discord, confusion, enslavement and desp contrast, whereas the Aboriginal tribe who takes Gemmy in holds a very straightforward sense of tolerance, peace and love (Jerusa lem).This sense of the Indigenous society existence representative of Jerusalem is reinforced when, at the finish of the unused, Gemmy seeks redemption with the Aboriginals later experiencing the brutality of the white societys Babylon, and returns to them in body, spirit and instinct. It is at that placefore evident that this quote holds a world-shattering amount of s fashion over the psychological train that the reader is on when beginning the novel, and therefore determines their interpretation of the ideas and meanings that Malouf conveys later in the novel.The second prefatory quote, Strange abidances and void afflict the soul.etc is a poem written by John Cl be which is used by Malouf as a comparison to the plot and main ideas presented in the novel in an sweat to prep argon the reader mentally so that they are open to fully comprehend the text and take the appropriate meanings from it. In the poem, Clare presents a world in chaos with the world on upgrade where gage seas roll. The first soak up of the poem, Strange shapes and void afflict the soul can be touch oned to the plot of retention Babylon where Gemmy and the Aboriginal people are considered to be the strange shapes who afflict the soul of the Settlers who consternation them and the publicise of the unidentified that accompevery them.This could a wish be reversed, as the Indigenous people whitethorn similarly hold back viewed the white settlers as strange shapes, and this is masking up by their reaction to their discovery of Gemmy when they assume he is a spiritcome back from the dead. Shadow to the eye, puts forward round of the key ideas in the novel, as it whitethorn be representative of the Aboriginals, who the settlers mosttimes think of as shadows because of their fluid movements. The poem goes on to use indicative type imagery which describes Australias scorched landscape, a world on fire, and puts forward the idea that this place is a world of chaos and is chastely devoid and barren.Clare uses other imagery to this termination, such(prenominal)(prenominal) as Shall make sunniness dark and give no day, which Malouf is able to use as a route of conveyance of title the Absolute Dark, and the idea that there is a dark thunder cloud between the land and Heaven and the sun, in order to convey to the reader that there is no sunlight in this place, there is no happiness and there is no reasoned this is a place that God does non see. This quote therefore is also extremely probatory in preparing the reader for the journey that they are embarking on whilst information the novel and bequeathing them to be psychologically ready to understand Maloufs ideas concerning the Settlers and their treatment of the Aboriginal people, as well as Gemmy, as a result of their misgiving of that which is unkn suffer to them.2. Chapter titles in relation to themeChapter 15 Shards of my nightmaresChapter 16 Object of my lovingnessChapter 17 Playground rulesChapter 18 Hope for a future all too far a mannerChapter 19 Becoming cleanChapter 20 Will you remember me?3. Gemmy is both symbol and characterGemmy is a symbol in that he is a physical manifestation of everything that the white Settlers idola learn to become, whilst he is a character who the reader is able to watch germinate emotionally and spiritually by means ofout the text in order to reach an understanding of his own identicalness operator. As a symbol Gemmy is regarded as an determination of fear and curiosity. He is proof, as the settlers see it, and a justification of their fears of the Aboriginal people, because of Gemmys loss of his white heritage, of his civilisation, of it. Gemmy is also a beacon of equality in that if he is able to cross over between the two assorted societies, then, in essence, they surely cannot be that different from each other. Gemmy is representative of everything the settlers fear to become and as a result he is spurned and alie n in their society. As a character, Malouf uses Gemmy as a portal into both worlds that of the Aboriginals and the world of the settlers, and because of this, readers are able to gain a deeper understanding of the novel.4. mental profile of two significant charactersJanet McIvor is a character in Remembering Babylon whose position in society is constrained by her gender and who challenges society through her defiance of gender stereotypes. Her oppression manifests itself as a count of epiphanies which prove to be a catalyst for her mental and spiritual suppuration throughout the novel. when the hard crust lifted, to discoveranother skin, lustrous bonemight see belonged to round other creature altogetherif all the rough skin of her present self crushed and came off , what would be revealed, shining in sunlight, was this finer being that had somehow been covered up in her. Janets longing to break free of the restraints that society has placed upon her becomes happen through thes e epiphanies, where the creature underneath(her true self) is far more extraordinary and exqui station than her outback(a) shell the mask that she is forced to wear. This shows that Janet is oppressed by the narrow apt(p) and Eurocentric views of the settlers. Through her epiphanies, Janet becomes closer to a higher military group and therefore is able to see the world in clearer light and with more understanding, qualification her less prone to judgemental behaviour and prejudice over race.In the first moments that the reader is introduced to the character of Lachlan Beattie he is running wild with his imagination, Cold air burned his nostrils, snow squeaked underfoot the gin her carriedhung heavy on his arm. This establishes psychological indications of the characteristics that he may possess as he develops. He shows hauteur as a key part of his personality and a fate to be highly mentation of by the adults and his peers, For a moment back there, seeing himself as these g rown-ups might see him, a mere dupehe felt a wave of anxiety at how infirm his power might be. This need for power manifests itself in truth at the end of the novel when the reader sees that Lachlan has become a close to powerful politician. .5. Significance of Mr Frazers notebookIn Remembering Babylon, Mr Frazers notebook plays a crucial part in allowing Mr Frazer to act as Maloufs mouthpiece in conveying the idea of hybridity between the natives and the settlers, and in enabling readers to understand the direct of the novel. The notebook allows for the expression of a post colonial attitude towards colonisation, where Malouf presents the supposition that if the settlers were to stop exploiting the land and trying to make it liveable, they would see that it already was and could or else integrate themselves into the native society, We have been wrong to see thatonly bysowing with the seeds we have brought with us, and by importing sheep, cattle, rabbitscan it be do habit able.It is habitable already. With their English eyes, the first settlers only saw that they needed to shape Australia into a new England. Malouf is suggesting that colonisation fails if you attempt to make a democracy (England) on top of another country (Australia) and that they should stop looking for what they are expecting to see, and open their eyes to the wonders that Australia has to offer.It is this attitude, he suggests, that prevents the settlers from adapting to the native way of life We moldiness rub our eyes and look again, clear our minds of what we are looking for to see what is there. Through this, Malouf is conveying that the settlers are pompous and arrogant to think they could but impose themselves upon the land, when they should have adapted to it alternatively.There is also a significant amount of implied criticism in the notebook where Mr Frazer states, The children of this land were made for it, allowing the reader to Malouf is trying to say that the Aborig inal people belong, whereas the settlers do not. This line of thought provokes the reader to form an opinion over who is entitled to the land. Later, Mr Frazer goes to Governor in order to appeal to him to acknowledge these ideas, however his intentions are completely see by both the Governor and the Premier, Had he made himself so unreadable?, and this is an attempt to convey to the reader that the settlers of the time may have had some very genuinely post colonial views and ideas.However these were prevented from becoming a factuality by the British government and the bureaucracy of the time, because of their complete self-involvement and insufficiency of regard for anything that does not affect them and their progress. This idea is put forward to nurture the ignorance of the English settlers. Mr Frazers notebook, therefore, plays a very significant role in conveying several key themes and ideas in the novel which in turn allow for the reader to gain a deeper and more complete understanding of the novel by forming their own opinions of these ideas.6. Language is a recurring motifRemembering Babylon is based almost completely some the concept that phrase is indistinguishability without it we cannot unfeignedly belong. Malouf puts forward the concept that everyone is defined by their language and, by extension, their associated culture. This idea is expressed in the text through three clear different forms the written word, the power of language and the wordless communication that occurs on a different, more spiritual, level of consciousness.In the text there are several different examples of written communication, the most prominent of which are Gemmys life story and Mr. Frazers letter to the Governor. These examples are used by Malouf as a pattern that the written word should not be considered as sure or accurate as other forms of communication. In the case of Gemmys life story, George abbot alters Gemmys words as he is writing them put through, he had introduced into what he had set down a phrase or two of his ownthis scrap of mistruth, signifying to the audience that just because a piece of history is written down does not necessarily mean that it is the truth, and that perspective and translation may also have an effect on the final product.Mr. Frazers letter to the Governor was in relation to his ideas of how the settlers should work to adapt to the land instead of imposing themselves on it, however these ideas are completely misunderstood by the Governor and the Premier, who end up offering Gemmy a job in response, Had he made himself so unclear? Readers are able to understand that that the written language is discouraged by Malouf as a vehicle for miscommunication, shown through Abbot falsifying Gemmys story and the misunderstanding with relation to Mr. Frazers letter. The manipulation of Gemmys story fits the Eurocentric agenda as it parallels the theft by the settlers of Aboriginal land in the novel.Malouf suggests that the power of language lies in its major power to determine how we make meaning from what we see and experience, that we are defined by it and will be rejected from any society that does not keep up and accept that language. This is true for Gemmy, as he is never fully accepted by the settlers because of his inability to mouth the language. Through this, Malouf suggests that language is culturally restrictive and that it is so powerful that it has the ability to alienate those who cannot or will not adopt the language. This draws a link between language in the text and its ability to control identity and purpose.The wordless, spiritual communication represented by the epiphanies experienced by some characters such as Jock and Janet are able to strengthen their laissez faire and allows for, Janet especially, the development of their own identities that are not moulded by the expectations of society.Through this, characters are able to develop a new level of understanding, whe re they are able to farm above the prejudice of the petty and those who have a wearied sense of identity and who use the settlers fear of the Aboriginals and Gemmy as a way to connect with them for a sense of inclusion and purpose. This is demonstrated in the text by Andy McKillop, He was determined not to be ignored. He had a savage need to convince people of things but had first, he knewto convince them about himself. The power of wordless, spiritual communication therefore plays a significant role in conveying the link between language and identity through epiphany.7. SymbolismMalouf uses symbolism frequently in Remembering Babylon, and to great effect. His use of symbolism is significant in showing the ways in which the settlers attempt to create and maintain a sense of control and psychological superiority over the Aboriginal people, as well as to show how many of the characters in the novel are able to achieve a clearer understanding of the world through an epiphany, bringi ng them to a new level of spiritual and emotional clarity. Examples of this can be seen through the symbolism of the adhere that Lachlan uses as a gun when he first encounters Gemmy, the bees and the fence.Remembering Babylon is very untold centred around the theme of racial superiority. Readers are able to gain an understanding from the novel that this superiority does not truly exist, but that the settlers are determined to hold on to any power they have over the Aboriginals in an effort to maintain control. This is demonstrated through the aim that Lachlan uses as a gun when he first encounters Gemmy and the symbolic nature of what the begin represents. Lachlan imagines the stick to be a gun, and therefore a emblem of power and authority.This action is representative of how the settlers imagine their power over the Aboriginals in the aforementioned(prenominal) way that Lachlan pretends that the stick(equality) is a gun(power and superiority), whereas in reality the settlers are equal to the aboriginals, in the same way that the gun is simply a stick, which holds no commanding power. By imagining that the stick is a gun, Malouf is suggesting that the power and superiority that the settlers(Lachlan) have over the natives(Gemmy) is simply a psychological manifestation of the Eurocentric views that they have been brought up to believe are a reality. In essence, this one action is symbolic of how the settlers superiority over the Aboriginals exists only in their minds and has no realistic basis.This is make in an attempt to maintain order, as Lachlan imagines the stick as a gun, he is able to maintain control of the situation. Readers understand that Gemmy is aware that the stick is not authentically a gun, though it may still be used as a weapon, It had taken him only a moment of course to see that it was just a stick, but that did not mean it was psychic traumaless, practically like how the psychological views of the settlers could have violent and b rutal consequences in the physical realm. This is symbolic of the way that the Aboriginals are aware that there is no real divide between themselves and the settlers as human beings however they cooperate with the settlers in order to allow them the idea of control, as Gemmy does with Lachlan, which in turn allows for the Aboriginals to go by their lives in a peaceful manner. The stick therefore is a significant and powerful symbol of the settlers false power, and this symbolism allows for the interpretation by readers of the theme.The bees in Remembering Babylon are emblematic of a perfect civilization, where all move of the society work together as a collective for the salutary of the collective. The nature of the bees can be linked to the nature of the Aboriginal people, who have a system of hunter gatherers who work together for the good of the tribe. This consanguinity can also be shown in that the bees will not harm a human unless they feel threatened in some way, much lik e the Indigenous people would not attack the settlers unless they are provoked.However, as can be seen in the text, Mrs. Hutchence, despite relaying this information to Janet, did not entirely believe it herself, She saw thenthat though her own faith had been absolute, Mrs. Hutchences had not. This is also figurative of the settlers view of the Aboriginals that they may attack at any moment, without warning and without provocation, and that, despite the McIvors insistence that Gemmy is not a threat to the community, many of the settlers are still reluctant to believe them and regard Gemmy as a threat.In the novel, the fence is representative of the dividing line between the Absolute Dark and civilization. This line is clear and definitive, clearly a physical depiction of how the settlers believe that there is a clear and distinct hierarchy between them and the Aboriginals, and this is founded by their belief in white supremacy. The fence is the dividing line between the barbaric and unknown darkness of the Aboriginals and the bright, civilized and safe world of the settlers. It provides a psychological leaping as well as a physical one that separates the Aboriginals from the settlers and allows them the model of safety and superiority over them. This physical boundary highlights the need for the settlers to pass away this idea of superiority into the physical world through the fence in order to reinforce their unwavering belief that there are no similarities between themselves and the Indigenous people.8. Literary Techniques used to convey values and themesMalouf uses a number of literary techniques throughout Remembering Babylon that aid in the going of values and themes to the reader. Several of these techniques are more effective in conveying values and themes these include Maloufs use of imagery, point of view and style.Remembering Babylon has an all-knowing memorial, and therefore the reader is able to look through indisputable characters perspecti ves. They are able to see Sir Georges grandeur expectations or Lachlans youthful view of the world, as in each chapter the narration is filtered through a particular characters perspective. Malouf may have elected to write his novel in the third person as a way to provide different views on certain situations in order to help the reader gain a more complete grasp of the significance of particular events.Third person narrative makes it easier for the reader to understand the transformation of each character in the novel and the profound ways in which Gemmy has influenced their lives, whether it be to bring out the high hat in them as human beings, or the worst in them through their fear of change and the unknown.Maloufs style is unique, and one of the most potent literary techniques is his restrained writing. This style of writing uses the power of suggestion, which allows the reader to form their own opinions on certain events and ideas in the novel. The most straightforward examp le of this may be Mr. Frazers visit to the Governors house where he misunderstands the situation unfolding around him with the Governors wife and the Premier.As a result of Mr. Frazers misinterpretation of the situation, the audience is not given a clear understanding of the event however this allows for reader interpretation and is forced to form their own ideas about what has occurred. Another such example of this style of writing is evident in chapter two of the text, when Gemmy is process up onto the shore. Malouf has no way of knowing what the Aboriginal people would have been thinking, as he is not an Aboriginal himself and has never experienced their way of life, however Malouf uses this technique to suggest many things about their thoughts of Gemmy.Imagery is a very prominent technique used by Malouf in Remembering Babylon and can be seen when Gemmy is visited in the settlement by the two Aboriginals, as he recognised one and then another feature of it, the site of old happ eningsfelt the energy flow back into him, and sawhow weak he had grown in these last monthsthe land up there was his motherit belonged to him as he did to it.This use of imagery demonstrates how Gemmy views the land the way the Aboriginals do as his mother, a living organism to be taken care of and nurtured. Imagery is used by Malouf as a way of showing the audience the differences in perspective of each of the characters in that not all of them would view the land the way that Gemmy does, and this therefore leads into the theme of how the settlers try to change the land. Gemmy does not understand this, as changing the land to him would be like trying to change his mother. In this way, Malouf is showing the audience the effect that a different upbringing can have on our scholarship of the world around us.9. Maloufs sympathiesMalouf conveys sympathy towards both the Aboriginals and the Settlers throughout Remembering Babylon. It is obvious that his favour lies with the Indigenous people, as can be seen in chapter two, where Malouf reveals the good nature of the Aboriginals through their partial acceptance of Gemmy after he is process up on the shore. The tribe who took him in treated Gemmy more like a human being than any of the settlers did throughout the entirety of the novel.However, it can also be seen that Malouf has sympathy for the settlers as well, and this is shown through the characterisation of the McIvors. This is done as, if Malouf were to generalise all of the settlers and to provide the reader with evidence only to support their negative nature, audiences would assume that the settlers were evil and incapable of human emotions such as graciousness and compassion. However, Malouf realises that the settlers are human beings with real emotions and that, while they have been wildly misled by their forefathers about their superiority over other cultures, are not truly evil.Obviously, the vast majority of the settlers stick to their stubborn refus al to accept Gemmy and all that he represents, which is done sometimes out of fear, and sometimes out of malice and contempt, however, some, such as the McIvors and Mrs. Hutchence, who despite being trapped in a society with very prominent Eurocentric views, are able to grow and rise above this, though they still have their reservations. If Malouf did not do this and instead was to generalise all the settlers, presenting them to the reader as the evil of the story to be despised without question or complaint, he would in essence be conveying the same attitude that the settlers have towards the Aboriginals, by assuming that they are all to be hated and feared, and that there could not possibly be any remnants of goodness in them.