Jasper Jones †to what extent is the novel quintessentially Australian Essay

To what extent is the new(a) quintessentially Australian?Jasper Jones is an Australian novel by Craig Silvey that explores issues prominent in the authors 1960s context. Set in the fictional mining town of Corrigan, the novel is a bildungsroman following Charlie Bucktin as he is awakened to the harsh reality of human nature. The novel addresses the main themes of goodity, jurist and trust, but these universal human issues are coloured by an Australian fit, reflective of Silveys contemporary context.The issues of morals and ethics have always been fundamental to the human struggle, but Silvey explores these themes through uniquely Australian concerns, namely the plight of the outcasts, in the interposition of indigenous Australians and immigrants. The setting of the novel, a small town where large number are ignorant and bigoted, is representative of the same issues in the wider Australian context. It is made clear to Jasper that This town, they think Im a bloody animal. due to his half-Aboriginal heritage.The animal metaphor and emotive language highlights Corrigans non-tolerance towards racial differences, while the first person perspective depicts the damaging effect this has upon an outcast individual. This is reinforced by the treatment of other characters such as the An family Go back to Hanoi, rats. The repetition of derogatory animal metaphor and the assertive tone reveals the prevalent racism. Charlie himself is also bullied for using words that are too clever. Silveys portraying of Corrigan is representative of the piety of his own society. In this racist and anti-intellectual Australian context, outcasts are isolated and shell down.The theme of justice is closely linked to that of morality in a town with corrupted values, foot justice ever be impartial? Charlies moral conflict over whether or non to report Laura Wisharts body explores the idea of moral relativity. He is aware that All that matters is the fact of this filles death and th e towns imagination. The collective town is characterised as an anthropomorphic entity with skewed values forcing innocent boys to act as if guilty. I feel I am caught in a rip, being dragged out further and deeper against my will. The use of the simileconveys the boys helplessness to enact justice in the example of the towns imagination.The body itself is a symbol of the novels underlying moral dilemmas. In disposing of Lauras body, Charlie explicitly says that Im committing a crime. He knows that helping Jasper is the right social function to do, but the use of the word crime, and all it connotes, illustrates how morality can be contrary to traditional justice. The issues of morality and justice explored are unquestionably universal in nature, but the novels particular setting and situation renders it a striking commentary on quintessentially Australian concerns.The value of trust and loyalty is also one that is common to all human experience, and it is this that defines Charli e and Jaspers relationship which is forged at the beginning of the novel by the crisis of finding Lauras body. Trust me. You got to trust me. Like I trust you. Jaspers imploring tone and the repetition of the highly emotive word trust, begging Charlie to help him escape the injury of being wrongfully persecuted, cements trust as a key value in the novel. With this trust, Charlie is able to reflection beyond Jaspers race and form a bond with him, despite the towns electronegative stereotyping. He states that I am the ally of Jasper Jones, and helps him despite his conflicted morals.The word ally suggests that despite not acute Jasper very well, they share a mutual trust and dependence. The relationship between the boys is reminiscent of the loyalty and chumminess between soldiers, bonded by trial. Against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, these values were highly important to the Australian cultural identity in Silveys context.Through Charlies coming of age, Silveys Jasper Jones presents a compelling insight into the duality of morality and the human values of loyalty and justice. Though these are undeniably universal in nature, Silvey explores these issues through the electron lens of his own Australian context, to give a novel which is quintessentially Australian and yet fundamentally human.