Barbra Bayton

Good afternoon/morning teachers, writers skilfully create images that shape our understanding of the world around us. Both Barbara Baynton and Baz Luhrmann does this by them using the same recurring themes in Barbara’s short stories; A Dreamer, Squeaker’s mate and the chosen vessel. Baz also has the same accruing themes in the movie Australia. These themes are; Mother and child, Dark isolating Australian bush, Religious reference and biblical illusion and discrimination.

The theme mother and child is shown in the movie Australia several times throughout the film. Though the most common one to see was the relationship between ‘Mrs Boss’ and ‘Nullah’. In the scene where Nullah stops the cows from running off the edge of the cliff, and he almost falls until Mrs Boss saves him and cradles him in her arms protecting him with her motherly instincts. After this Nullah and Mrs Boss has a stronger bond that grows, and she steps up to become a more mother like figure for him.

Another theme that is frequently used by Barbara is the Dark isolating Australian bush. This theme is seen in the short story A Dreamer; “she saw nothing but an ownerless dog, huddled, wet and shivering, in a corner.” This relates to the main character of the story as this is how she is feeling from her arrival to a train station in the rain with no one to pick her up. She feels alone and isolated from the outside world. She thinks that she knows her way to her mother’s house but shortly discovers how far it really was.

Religious references and biblical illusions are another major theme in the short stories but in the chosen vessel, it is strongly used. In the text it says; “he saw a white-robed figure with a babe clasped to her bosom”. This is referencing to the Virgin Mary and her son Jesus. Peter believes it is a vision, as religion was among almost every family. He doesn’t realise that it was not a vision and that she was truly in trouble until it as too late.

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