In my paper I want to talk about the book The Bodysurfers (Robert Drewe) by focusing on the description of the different landscapes and the way people identify with it. I also find it important to mention the mixed feelings of the different characters, all of them living by the coast. While I was reading the book, I could notice the rather different ways of describing the landscapes, each narrator and character senses the surroundings differently. The
environment in which the characters are living is one of the main topics of the book, it focuses on the descriptions and provides the reader with the opportunity to ‘live’ the book and to understand in a better way, how important the sea and the beach are for Australians.
In The Bodysurfers the beach is the most popular and most described landscape. It is fantastic how many different ways of ‘seeing’ and ‘feeling’ the beach can be found in this book and how different varieties of language can influence the reader by
providing him with many ways of understanding the characters.
The Bodysurfers is not an easy book, maybe you have to read it twice, but it can give you a perfect possibility to deal with other nations and cultures and to distinguish between different characters and their ways of speaking and telling. When I was
dealing with my topic I was impressed how ones opinion can change while reading a book, e.g. in one story the beach is described as a lonely and quiet place, in another story as a sand heap full of rubbish.
In my paper I want, above all, to show these different ways of describing, on the one hand, describing by using different sorts of language and on the other hand describing, by ‘feeling’ and observing the place you live in. I want to show, that these
depictions are the essence of the book and make it vivid, because “these stories breathe. Taut yet teeming with life, they are shot through with gritty phrases that catch at one's throat.” (Goodreads)
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1. Introduction
- 2. The Work
- 2.1. The Author
- 2.2. The Book
- 3. Landscape and Identity
- 3.1. "THE VIEW FROM THE SAND HILLS” (DREWE 85-92)
- 3.2. "LOOKING FOR MALIBU” (DREWE 47-65)
- 3.3. "SHARK LOGIC” (DREWE 23-35)
- 4. Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper focuses on the Australian novel The Bodysurfers by Robert Drewe, examining the role of landscape descriptions and their connection to the characters' identities. The text explores how different characters experience and interpret the coastal environment, revealing the significance of the sea and the beach in the lives of Australians.
- The relationship between landscape and identity in Australian literature
- The representation of the beach and its influence on the characters' lives
- The diverse perspectives and descriptions of the coastal landscape
- The significance of language and its ability to shape the reader's understanding of the characters
- The themes of resilience, community, and the search for meaning in the face of life's challenges
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The paper begins with an introduction outlining the objective and scope of the analysis. It then provides a brief overview of the author, Robert Drewe, and his renowned work, The Bodysurfers, highlighting the collection's popularity and significance within Australian literature. Chapter 3 delves into the core of the analysis, exploring the relationship between landscape and identity through detailed discussions of three specific chapters: "THE VIEW FROM THE SAND HILLS,” "LOOKING FOR MALIBU,” and "SHARK LOGIC.” Each section examines the distinct ways in which the characters perceive and interact with the coastal environment, revealing the emotional and symbolic significance of the beach in their lives.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Key concepts examined in this paper include: Australian literature, landscape, identity, coastal environment, beach, characterization, language, perspective, and the themes of resilience, community, and the search for meaning. The analysis draws upon examples from The Bodysurfers by Robert Drewe to illustrate these concepts and explore their interconnectedness.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anna Rauch (Autor:in), 2010, "The Bodysurfers" by Robert Drewe. The Landscape and its Effects on the Identity of the Characters, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/272959
