Genre
Australian novel
Setting and Context
Melbourne, from WW1 to WW2
Narrator and Point of View
David Meredith narrates the novel in the first-person
Tone and Mood
The tone is powerful; the mood is tense.
Protagonist and Antagonist
David is the protagonist; Jack is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the novel occurs when the reader is introduced to the contrasting Meredith brothers, David and Jack.
Climax
The climax of the story is reached when it is revealed that Jack Meredith is the more popular bother as he is more physical than David, so is seen as being more 'Aussie'.
Foreshadowing
David's career as a journalist is foreshadowed by his love of reporting and finding the truth.
Understatement
The role of conflict is understated throughout the novel.
Allusions
The story alludes to the life of a typical Australian man during the interwar years.
Imagery
The imagery of fighting brothers is present in the novel.
Paradox
The fact that David's younger brother is stronger than him is an example of paradox in the story.
Parallelism
There is a parallel between the life of David and the experiences of many Australian during the interwar period.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
N/A
