Scholars of Antipodean culture emphasise the power of nature on both personal and national matters. With respect to Australia, Krahn (2000) points to the impact that space has on self-conception, arguing that notions of space/ place have been central in the cultural self-definition of settler colonies like Australia, since difference in place is the most visible marker distinguishing the colony from the imperial motherland. In Australian literary discourses, place is very much tied up with landscape, presumably as difference in landscape foregrounds the distinguishing difference of place. Landscape is thus used to emphasise the distinctiveness of Australia, from earliest colonial writings to the present day discourses of nationalism, literature and tourism.
Against these backgrounds and with the objective to corroborate theoretical foundations on the representation of Australia in (pre-)colonial (literary) discourse, The Conversations at Curlow Creek by David Malouf will be analysed and examined with regard to the spatial representation of Australia as contrasted with Ireland, juxtaposing the portrayals of both countries by highlighting their major disparities adverted to in the novel. In the course of this, dichotomies as one identifiable literary device, which serves as an amplification of the images the author aims at getting across, will be pointed to.
Prior to that, the concept of space will be elaborated on, providing a definition and conceptual differentiation within the scope of narratology. Furthermore, the characteristic representation of Australia in colonial discourse will be expounded, particularly relating to the aspect of landscape. Finally, a conclusion based on the results of the text analysis will be provided, substantiating the underlying theoretical foundations.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Theoretical framework
2.1 The concept of space
2.2 Representation of Australia in settler-colonial discourse/ literary works
3 Spatial representation of Australia as opposed to Ireland in Malouf’s The Conversations at Curlow Creek
3.1 Representation of Australia
3.2 Representation of Ireland
3.3 Contrasting juxtaposition of Australia and Ireland
4 Conclusion
5 Bibliography
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this work is to analyze the spatial representation of Australia in David Malouf’s novel The Conversations at Curlow Creek by contrasting it with the depiction of Ireland. The study aims to demonstrate how the author employs literary dichotomies to reinforce settler-colonial perceptions of the landscape and how these spatial experiences contribute to the protagonist's inner self-transformation.
- Spatial theory within the scope of narratology
- Settler-colonial discourse and the perception of the Australian landscape
- The dichotomy between "civilized" Ireland and "untamed" Australia
- The impact of environmental experience on personal identity
Excerpt from the Book
Representation of Australia
The Irish imagined New South Wales as an opportunity to begin and establish a new, successful and more prosperous life than in their homeland. Being classified as terra nullius, Australia offered large areas of arable land available to everyone arriving. Hence, all colonists had the same starting position for a new beginning. In the novel it says that
[m]any of [the] families […] there were ones whose menfolk, back home on the other side of the world, poor tenant farmers or day-labourers, would have had no prospects in all eternity of owning even an acre of land, and here they were offered hundreds if they had the strength to tear it out of the wilderness and plough and work it (Malouf 54).
However, the prospects and hopes for a fulfilling life were in many cases subverted by the country’s harshness, posing partly insurmountable challenges for many settlers. This becomes clear in the last part of the passage, in which the need of physical strength is emphasised as a requirement for the survival in that country.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter introduces the core focus on postcolonial studies and the central role of space in Australian settler literature.
2 Theoretical framework: This chapter defines the concept of space within narratology and explores the colonial discourse surrounding the representation of Australia.
3 Spatial representation of Australia as opposed to Ireland in Malouf’s The Conversations at Curlow Creek: This chapter analyzes the novel's contrasting portrayals of the Australian outback and Ireland, focusing on the character's experiences and the use of dichotomies.
4 Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the results of the textual analysis, confirming the theoretical assumption that Australia is portrayed as the absolute opposite of the settlers' homeland.
5 Bibliography: This section lists all primary and secondary sources used in the research.
Keywords
David Malouf, The Conversations at Curlow Creek, postcolonial literature, spatial representation, Australian outback, settler-colonialism, terra nullius, narrative space, landscape, Ireland, identity, dichotomy, Adair, Carney, textual analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines how David Malouf represents space in his novel The Conversations at Curlow Creek, specifically focusing on the contrast between the Australian outback and Ireland through a postcolonial lens.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
The work explores settler-colonial discourse, the "cliché of deficiency" regarding the Australian landscape, the construction of narrative space, and the relationship between physical environment and personal identity.
What is the research goal of this analysis?
The goal is to analyze how the novel uses spatial representation and dichotomies to mirror colonial views of the landscape as "untamed" versus the "civilized" homeland, and to show how this impacts the characters.
Which theoretical approach is applied?
The paper utilizes concepts from narratology—specifically definitions of spatial frames and setting—combined with postcolonial literary theory to evaluate the text.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
The main body defines the theoretical framework of spatial representation, discusses colonial discourse in Australian literature, and provides a comparative analysis of the representations of Australia and Ireland within the novel.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include David Malouf, postcolonial literature, spatial representation, Australian outback, settler-colonialism, and narrative space.
How is the Australian landscape depicted in the novel according to the author?
The novel depicts the Australian landscape as vast, harsh, "uncontrollable," and ultimately "unfit" for European human beings, standing in direct opposition to the verdant and structured fields of Ireland.
What role does the "cliché of deficiency" play in the text?
It serves as a rhetorical device used by settlers to describe Australia as an "unland" or wasteland, which justifies the "taming" and colonization of the landscape.
How does the protagonist, Adair, change throughout the novel?
Adair undergoes an internal self-transformation, moving from a state of exhaustion in an "impossible" country to achieving a "new self" that accepts his own traits and flaws after interacting with the natural world.
Why is Ireland used as the point of comparison?
Ireland represents the "measure of all things" for the characters; it is viewed as a civilized, "green," and safe space, making its contrast with the "cursed" Australian environment more pronounced for the settlers.
- Citar trabajo
- Patrycia Gellert (Autor), 2018, Representation of Space in David Malouf’s "The Conversations at Curlow Creek", Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/428959
