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Summary: The Influence Of Mateship In Literature

Decent Essays

These chosen texts reveal the influence of Australian society on the formation of masculine values. The respective authors use characterisation to establish the importance of mateship in this context. However, these relationships often use this ideal in a coercive manner. Due to this, men in these texts often have issues with social or legal boundaries, which stem from male friendships. Conversely, men may draw a distinct Australian identity from their relationships with both women and the land. This emphasises anxieties over a shared colonial history, as European masculinity must meet with a new continent. The authors also present the similar influence of these connections over the development of positive masculine traits, such as hard work …show more content…

The selected authors represent this through sexual deviance, alcoholism, and gambling. In particular, this is apparent through the narrative struggle in ‘The Sentimental Bloke’. Bill’s place in a “larrikin” gang establishes anti-social behaviour, which inhibits his upward social mobility within the text (Thompson 178). This results in several incidents, which impact his relationship with Doreen. For example, this includes Bill’s coarse behaviour at the theatre, his relapse into gambling, and his attempts to fight her suitors (Longford 1918). These actions mirror those of Grant’s “brutality” during the “kangaroo hunt”, as they subvert his metropolitan social values (McFarlane 35). The effect of the imposition of these negative masculine values is clear. Authoritative characters, such as Ginger Mick and Crawford, encourage behaviour that excludes men from wider society. The authors symbolise this through the prospect of marriage. In ‘Coonardoo’, Hugh’s refusal to marry for love is the result of his mother’s boundaries. Hugh may only fulfil the role of protector of his station, and by extension, Coonardoo, due to the “sublimation of his sexual desire” (Thomas 238). This suggests that the masculine roles drawn from mateship disregard the possibility of emotional fulfilment. Comparably, Kotcheff also represents this through his depiction of women. …show more content…

The juxtaposition between male and female characters in ‘The Sentimental Bloke’ highlights this. Notably, Longford employs Doreen as a foil to the Mick. Doreen’s firm social values clash with the overt criminality of the larrikins (Boyd 9). However, this serves to highlight the sentimental aspect of Bill’s character, rather than impose other values on it. Accordingly the same “comic tension” also exists between Bill’s “harsh street argot” in the inter-titles, and his “tender sentiment” to Doreen (Murray 8). Conversely, Prichard uses similarities between her characters, rather than differences, to allow her protagonist to form a positive relationship. While the relationship between Coonardoo and Hugh is unequal, they “take pride” in each other as workers (Ellis 70). Hugh maintains comparable, reciprocal relationships, with his “right-hand” daughter Phyllis, and his “workmate” mother (Corbould 419). This suggests that these relationships reinforce values of resilience and hard work, in contrast to male friendships. These friendships, such as those in ‘Wake in Fright’, force “drinking” to take “precedence” over “everything else”, as they encourage anti-social behaviour (Kent 38). Likewise, Sam Geary encourages similar behaviour, through his actions and recommendation that Hugh should get drunk in a moment of crisis (Johnson and Johnson 57). This emphasises the positive masculine

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