Genre
Fictional autobiography
Setting and Context
The book is set between the 18th and 19th centuries in the context of Australian history.
Narrator and Point of View
First-person narrative by Connie Laffey
Tone and Mood
The tone is awestruck, and the mood is lonely and tense.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Connie Laffey is the protagonist of the story.
Major Conflict
Laffey's brother, Will, leaves home after paying all his bills and meets his creator in his way. Laffey feels sad because her brother has always been gay in a culture that does not tolerate such tendencies.
Climax
The story's climax is when Connie Laffey gets therapeutic healing after recalling her history in Australia and putting everything else to rest.
Foreshadowing
Will's decision to leave home and meet his creator is foreshadowed by the harsh cultural treatment he receives because he is gay.
Understatement
Reever’s ambition to travel to the North alone is understated. Despite having a strong urge to locate the footsteps of his ancestors, he is heading to self-destruction.
Allusions
The fictional autobiography alludes to Connie’s past life and experiences in Australia.
Imagery
The family photo albums depict sight imagery which is important in aiding readers to see and comprehend the history of Australia.
Paradox
The paradox is revealed when Cornelius Laffey arrives in Australia with his family in the 1860s. The satire is that the Australian government supported racism against the Native Aboriginals. The author expects that the government ought to have stopped racism, but that is not the case.
Parallelism
Will’s ambition to travel away from home to meet his creator parallels Reever’s journey to the North to meet his ancestors.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
History is embodied as a therapist.
