Dinkum Stereotypes

‘The typical Australian is a practical man, rough and ready in his manners’. This representation of what the typical Australian man should be and to how Generation Z sees its national identity differs, as it is not as clear as it used to be. This is largely due to the influences of media form around the world, but despite this; Generation Z still believes that the Australian man is practical, rough and ready, but also a very hospitable man who will stick to his mates no matter

“The Australian Legend” as well as in Crocodile Dundee provides a similar range of characteristics that describe a typical Australian. The identity of the ‘Australian legend’ has been altered throughout history starting with different claims that emerged in the 1990s. This idea was shaped by the experiences they faced as well as how well they could conquer the bush/outback. This idea was that were depicted as men who are strong, healthy and active. As stated by Russel Ward, the idea of this typical Australian is "the world’s best confidence man, he is usually taciturn rather than talkative, one who endures stoically rather than one who acts busily”. However there were also some controversial issues with the idea of the Australian legend. Issues relating to male domination were very common with this perception. It was known that the bush was strictly a place for men and not for women. Women were incapable of surviving alone in the bush therefore they were excluded from the legend. Racism also became an issue during this time since most legends were white men; therefore all other races were excluded from this mythology. Many of these key values and issues are highlighted specially by the main character of Crocodile

In the 1940s, there was probably nothing else that could have compared to what was going on through these Australian people’s lives at this time in the history of Australia, although with the portrayal of strong heartedness and mateship between all these people, it represented these characters as being true blue Aussies. This key representation in Australian society originated from being so loyal to our companions in every way possible thus allowing others to undergo the same feeling and create a strong mateship. Throughout this film there have been many strong examples of mateship that show how loyal we can be, some of which include when Magarri gave his life to allow Drover and all the children to make it to the boat without being caught or when drover risked his life to save Nullah from being shot by Neil Fletcher. These examples combine to create and represent how Australians are willing to give up their lives for the people they care about. Overall, from this paragraph it has been clearly seen that mateship is without a doubt a very strong representation in Australia although there are still people being targeted by

Australian Film allows the rest of the world to have an insight into our way of life, our communities and our land. Australian film usually provides a hard-working and hardy stereotype who lives in the outback and takes pride in his mates, and for a lot of the country, this is mostly true. The typical Australian is a laid back, hard-working community member who prides the relationship they have with their mates, who may not even be a person. The saying ‘a man’s best friend is his dog’ is incredibly true for many, especially Australians, where dogs can be found in all walks of life. At least, this is Kriv Stender’s perspective of Australian identity, seen in his 2011 film Red Dog.

24 million beer guts? 24 million shrimp on the barbie? Or 24 million who make up the most culturally diverse nation in the world? I don’t know about you, but I struggle to stereotype 24 million of the most different people on the planet. Good morning… etc. In contemporary society, the ability to identify an Australian is a challenge. The ABC states that national identities are “as varied as our imagination” and, “In Australia, the religious, cultural and ethnic complexity of our society is particularly diverse, making it extremely difficult to identify an Australian”. What would you look for if you were asked to identify an Australian? Tanned skin? Beer gut? Freckles? Wrong wrong wrong! You can’t identify an Australian based on a stereotypical image! According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, “75% of Australia’s population originates from overseas, or has a parent from overseas” (ABOE, 2016), making it impossible to identify what an Australian looks like. We Aussies share more than a hatred for cane toads and bits of butter in the vegemite. We share moral values and beliefs unique to our great nation. Belief in a fair go, never give up mindset, and courage. A character from the movie Australia, absolutely epitomizes the Australian identity. The man. The myth. The legend. The Drover.

The characters in the film are how Australians really are. The characters are examples of stereotypical Australians. The men are tough, big and buff, they are hard working beer-drinking men. When the workers are not working they are usually at the pub. It’s a small community where everyone knows each other and it’s like a family. They have good humour and can insult each other without taking real offence. They reflect the attitude of Australians in their way of language and how they say things. They use colloquial language, slang and joke around with each other. Many Australians do this today also. They are a multicultural society, which is exactly what Australia is. People from all around the world are characters in this movie. They also drink lots of beer, appear rough and are dirty and grimy. One of the characters, Peeto, has a feminine side, which is ironic because he is portrayed as a rough manly man. The clothes that the men wear are singlets, short shorts and boots. The women wear dresses. They wear clothes that keep them cool, giving the viewers an understanding that the weather in Australia is harsh, dry and

I am here today to discuss our Australian Identity. How do you imagine a typical Australian? Maybe you see a blonde haired, blue eyed surfing babe? Or a bushman who drinks Bushels tea and four X beers while munching on some snags cooked on the BBQ? Or perhaps you see someone like Steve Irwin, our iconic crocodile hunter. Or do you picture the movie “Crocodile Dundee?” Australians are stereotyped and our typical Australian is usually imagined to be male. (Click) Russell Ward, well known author, portrays his view of the traditional Aussie as a practical man who is rough, tough bushman that holds true friendship and loyal spirits. Today I will be analysing two poems and one play and determining whether they are

However displaced the notions of egalitarianism and its associated masculine ideal of mateship may be, these aspects of the Australian identity are of the most recognisable and compelling, and even in contemporary, cosmopolitan Australia, continue to be invoked and celebrated. It is crucial that these ideologies are reinforced among Australians, as they differentiate Australia from the rest of the world. In other words, these ideals are what make Australians unique. In order to evoke change within our society, it is vital that the voices of working-class

Through characterisation, Dominic Finch-Mackee can be read as a representation of Australian masculinity through his depiction as the archetypal “Aussie Battler.” This contrasts to the representation of my sense of Australian identity in First Dance, a short story by Penelope Rowe which depicts alcohol, sexual violence and the “pack mentality” as elements of Australian adolescent masculinity.

It would seem that no one is quite like the Australians. We are different. We are bronzed. We are laconic. Oh, and we are a bit lovable-larrikinish too. But did you know that we Australians are said to have a characteristic of mateship?

The typical Australian: lazy, beer guzzling, faded blue singlets, thongs, slang words. This is the dominant reading formed by the media, commonly in advertisements and novels. The image constructed by such media is one of an unfit ‘couch potato’ who sits around all day drinking and watching television. This stereotype is not only downgrading, but constructs Australian males as underachievers in society. Some Australians may be like this, as for many the pursuit of leisure is a serious business. Indeed texts such as Chris Franklin’s – Bloke (2000) and The Wind and the Monkey (1999) support this theory of the common Australian man. However texts such as Crocodile Dundee (1986) and The Castle (1999)

The ideologies of the Australian bush man and bush women during the 19th to 20th century, although, different, demonstrates many similarities when it comes to gender roles and stereotypes. This is demonstrated through the written works of both Henry Lawson and Ray Lawler, who demonstrate the realities of living in the 1890’s and 1950’s in Australia. The similarities and differences will be demonstrated by examining and comparing both male and female stereotypes of the typical bush man, while looking at women’s loyalty to their men, male masculinity and female femininity, and the roles that men and women play in Lawson and Lawler’s written works during this time.

Australian films, are well known for their outback landscapes, unique Australian animals, indigenous heritage and the unmissable quirky characters But are these stereotypes portrayed in Australian movies politically and culturally correct? Is Australia really only about a bunch of Bogan’s kicking their feet around in the red sand, wrestling crocodiles and going walk about with a few stereotyped aboriginals?

Australia has had many national identities in its existence; the most noticeable of these being the Bush discourse, the battler discourse, the Convict discourse and the Larrikin discourse. Russel Ward utilises these discourses in his book, “The Australian Legend”. He explains that the typical Australian is a practical man, tough who drinks heavily. A. B. Facey is a classic example of a typical Australian, although he does not fit in with all of the aspects of Ward’s construction.

"According to the myth the typical Australian is a practical man, rough and ready in his manners and quick to decry any appearance of affection in others. He is a great improviser, ever willing to have a go at anything, but willing to be content with a task done in a way that is near enough. [...] He swears hard and consistently, gambles heavily and often, and drinks deeply on occasion [...] he is usually taciturn rather than talkative. [...] he believes that Jack is not only as good as his master, but, at least in principle, probably a good deal better, and so he is a great knocker of eminent people. [...] He is a fiercely independent person who hates officiousness and authority. [...] will stick by his mates through thick and thin, even if he thinks they may be in the wrong."