Jasper Jones Character Analysis

Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey is a critically acclaimed novel produced in 2009 and set in 1965. Described by The Monthly as “an Australian To Kill a Mockingbird”, the book deals with a variety of themes in an intriguing and comedic way. The extent to which the themes in Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey mirror the context of production more closely than the context of the setting varies depending on which theme is being discussed. The wide range means that both years are represented in a balanced way. In the novel, Jasper Jones, half-aboriginal and half white, and Jeffery Lu, Vietnamese, often fall victim to mistreatment, oppression and violent hate crimes because of their race. Their characterisation as victims positions the reader to explore the theme of prejudice in 1965 society. Moreover, Charlie’s (the narrator) characterisation as an open minded person deals with the theme of acceptance. His relationship with both Jasper Jones and Jeffrey Lu represents this. The novel also, perhaps less explicitly, deals with ideas about masculinity. This theme is largely explored through Charlie Bucktin and Warwick Trent and further reinforced in the resolution. In terms of context this embodies 2009 more as the flourishing of the media has changed and created ideals. Themes of prejudice and fear appeal more to 1965. However, acceptance and masculinity mirror 2009.

In the Podcast, Serial, Jay Wilds is a main character whose alibi and story from episode one to four. The reporter, Sarah Koenig, maps the whole case out for us. Jay has given a minimum of seven different stories about what happened on January thirteenth. Four police interviews, two trial testimonies, and most recently, an interview he gave to the Intercept.

Jasper Jones has strong intertextual links to an all-time favourite but a complex novel to understand, To kill a mocking bird by Harper Lee. In fact Silvey wrote Jasper Jones as an easier and modern version of To Kill a Mocking Bird. Many of the characters have parallel personalities and some of the main ideas were the same. Both deal with racism and discrimination in small country towns, both explore the distant relation between law and justice, and both, Jasper Jones and TKAMB create a world of moral opposites

Charlie Bucktin learns a great deal about himself, others, Corrigan and important lessons that will help him live a better life in Jasper Jones. In the novel, Charlie goes through some experiences that teach him some of life’s great lessons. In particular he comes to learn a great deal about trust, love, facing and overcoming fear, role models and racial prejudice.

“The more you have to lose, the braver you are for standing up”, so say Charlie in Jasper Jones. This quote reflects both novels, as the both discuss the morally wrong actions due to racism or discrimination. To kill a mockingbird is so similar to Jasper Jones through its historical, ethical and social settings that critics are referring to Jasper Jones as an Australian version of To Kill a Mockingbird. These similarities are identified as we compare Jack Lionel and Boo Radley, Laura Wishart and Mayella Ewell and the small town life of both novels. The characters of both novels ma be very similar but the plot is much different.

On the AMC hit television show, Mad Men, the main character Don Draper spoke very powerful words when he said, “People tell you who they are but we ignore it, because we want them to be who we want them to be.”. The main character of the novel written by Craig Silvey titled, Jasper Jones dealt with the troubles of, as Don Draper said, people ignoring who somebody is simply because we want them to be who we want. Set in 1965 in a small West Australian town called Corrigan, main character, Charlie Butkin is faced with the fear of being drafted into war with Vietnam and seeing his friends treated poorly by others because of racism. The novel kick starts, however, when Charlie is interrupted by Jason Jones tapping on his window asking Charlie

It is a natural part of human nature to long for the feeling of belonging and fitting into what people consider “normal.” Craig Silvey brings this idea into the novel Jasper Jones through the use of the historical setting of the 1960s as a platform to demonstrate realistic examples of racial discrimination and its consequences; the historical context also plays an important role in the setting of Corrigan, Western Australia, as the small fictitious town represents how the whole of Australia was following a corrupt social regime obsessed with appearances. The use of setting, first person narration and characters in the novel educates the reader of the reality of the “White Australia” movement and the impact it had on those of Australian Aboriginal

Craig Silvey, Is known for his adolescent, adult novels throughout Australia. These stories have a deep connection with teaching kids morals in life. Silvey’s book Jasper Jones is no exception written in 2009, the story is set in the quiet mining town, Corrigan which is located in Western Australia. It was 1965, hot and unsleepable night the main character Charlie Bucktin was in his bed. That night changed his life forever; he had to change his shoes from a thirteen years old boys and had to adjust them to become an adult saying goodbye to adolescence. The new adult had to deal with responsibilities that most people would never experience in their lives. Uncovering secrets that should have never been revealed within the town, Charlie will now

Introduction Prejudice refers to the judgements towards a person because of their race, social class, age, disability or sexual orientation. (Cherry, “What is Prejudice?”) Prejudice was, and still is, to a large extent experienced by people all over the world. It is a theme that is presented in so many works of literature in a plethora of different ways. One of the most prominent ways in which prejudice is explored is through the use of characters that perhaps are a different nationality or have a different orientation to the majority of the other characters in the works. Two texts, in which the theme is presented in an admirable way , are ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee, and ‘Jasper Jones’ by Craig Silvey. Through the use of the

Direct descriptions are the simplest way to start the characterisation, consequently it discloses a lot of information. The diction and register of Charlie is extensive and very formal and his vocabulary is so vast, from this the readers understand that Charlie is well educated. Words like “Admonish” “Philistine” “Traipsing” demonstrate the diction of Charlie. In contrast with Charlie, Jasper has colloquial language like “gonna” and “nuthin” and has a heavy Australian accent along with poor diction. Thus readers interpret Jasper is illiterate and doesn’t attend school. To some degree Jasper Jones represents the rejected outcast people, who don’t get their rights and become the scapegoat. The characters are so brilliantly sculptured that they become real breathing people that will forever stay in my heart.

In an ideal world, everyone would be treated equally, regardless of race or gender. Craig Silvey’s novel Jasper Jones and the film Jindabyne directed by Ray Lawrence are challenging texts with relation to representation of differences and tension in race and gender within Australian society. Both texts challenge their respective audiences to reflect on how Australian society treats individuals and challenges the constant misjudgment of Indigenous Australians. Silvey uses historical context to impose strong racial and gender bias in Australian society. Lawrence utilizes contrast in attitudes and values to challenge the audience and display characters being discriminated against and disrespected.

Both Jasper Jones and To Kill a Mockingbird are books that represent the racial prejudice and show outsiders in small country towns. When it comes to characters both books are very much alike, containing a single outsider figure and a group of coloured people who are racially abused. This essay will give examples as to how prejudice against outsiders and racial groups was demonstrated in Jasper Jones and To Kill a Mockingbird.

“I'll be all around in the dark. I'll be everywhere. Wherever you can look—wherever there's a fight so hungry people can eat, I'll be there,” a quote said by Tom Joad from John Steinbeck’s novel Grapes of Wrath. Written during the great depression, John Steinbeck depicts a Oklahoma family traveling to California for work after losing their farm. The main character Tom Joad is first seen as caring only for himself and his family. By the ending the novel Tom has grown from caring about himself to caring and seeing the whole world as his family.

Older brothers are typically the ones who annoy and bully the younger siblings with love. They are the ones who the parents rely on to help around the house. Jem Finch is a little bit different than the typical older brother to a little girl, but then again his little sister isn’t that ordinary either. Jem Finch displays many character traits. In the first few chapters he displays a little kid who gets in trouble along side of his friends and younger sister, but further into the novel Jem demonstrates more responsible behaviors by accepting his wrongs and the consequences. He also shows how he will stand up for Scout and take care of her, even though he doesn’t like to be seen with her while they are at school, and he is hard on her when

Scout – Scout is the main character and she is the narrator of the story. Her real name is Jean Louise Finch. She lives on main residential street in Maycomb, Alabama. Her father is Atticus Finch and her brother is Jem. Her mother died from a heart attack when she was two years old. She doesn’t miss her much, because she doesn’t clearly remember her. She is a tomboy and hangs out with Jem and Dill most of the time.