StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Australiana Literature - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
The first and last sections of the four-part novel, narrated from an omniscient third-person point of view, describe events before and after the climactic moment in the Brown brothers’ lives. The…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER98.7% of users find it useful
Australiana Literature
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Australiana Literature"

The Solid Mandala The action of The Solid Mandala is divided evenly between Arthur and Waldo Brown. The first and last sections of the four-part novel, narrated from an omniscient third-person point of view, describe events before and after the climactic moment in the Brown brothers’ lives. The two middle sections are narrated from each brother’s point of view; both recount in quite different ways the story of their lives up to the fateful climax of their relationship. Analysis The Solid Mandalas crisis is definitely a well-known one; an old/new world: Same/Other conflict once again tends to generates a dedoublement, one that there is no mistaking this time, and one that, if only for the reason that Whites tributary insertion of Dostoevskys The Brothers Karamazov into his own text, is noticeably self-referring.

Is its resolution of this crisis - if that is what it is - recognizable as well? To answer in terms of Whites theme of representation-at-the-margin a good number of his story White holds out an optimism of an Australian vernacular writing that will yet remain in touch with a parent European Writing (Wilke p 97). Finally, however, what has seemed a bearable, if problematic relationship between Arthur and Waldo - and we are talking constantly regarding possibilities of representation - proves to be non-viable.

As a replacement for of making for a productive synthesis, the narratives in the novel are known as "Arthur" and "Waldo" is but the same crisis of potentially aggressive confusion seen from somewhat different viewpoints. except the fact that white sees a number of positive sacrificial meaning at this point only obvious conclusion in The Solid Mandala is collapse or regression into an undifferentiated condition, into the extremely confusion of Same as well as Other it has tried to reconcile: Waldo Brown, dead of spite, in addition to his non-identical twin Arthur, sent to a mental institution, and keeping just one of his four solid mandalas.

The conflict never affected their relationship as Arthur said at one occasion Ill kill," Arthur continued to bellow, "the pair of you bloody buggers if you touch," he choked, "my brother."( White p45) this showed how one brother protected the other Bound together in conflict, Waldo and Arthur represent duality in totality. Separate yet whole, the brothers symbolize the two opposing halves of the self. White advocates the need for both parts as well as for balance between the two. For example, Arthur’s insight—his almost visionary capability—is too otherworldly for this one: In the end, he is removed to a lunatic asylum.

Still, White elevates Arthur’s life-affirming stance over Waldo’s philosophy of denial and his reliance on the intellectual faculty. They render him equally unprepared for living among other human beings: Except for Arthur, Waldo is essentially alone. The themes of twinhood and mandalic wholeness pervade the novel, as do other associated themes such as connection and communication.The God God in this novel is usually symbolized by objects Most precious to Arthur is his collection of glass marbles, of which four in particular are solid mandalas, the mandala being a symbol of totality and also the purported dwelling for a god.

According to White, a kitchen table is love, is God, even, if one could get to know it. Because Arthur lives close to the things of the earth, he does come to know them, although for him it is a purely intuitive process. Conclusion White satirizes the narrow Australian mentality which condemns what it considers unusual and, hence, threatening. His consistent establishment-bashing has won for White the enmity of many Australian critics as well as the admiration of readers in other postcolonial cultures where there are similar conflicts.

Work cited White Patrick; the Solid Mandala. Penguin Twentieth Century Classics, 1994 p 45Wilkes, G. A. “An Approach to Patrick White’s The Solid Mandala,” in Southerly. XXIX, no. 2 , 1969 pp. 97-110

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Australiana Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1542012-australiana-literature
(Australiana Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words)
https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1542012-australiana-literature.
“Australiana Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1542012-australiana-literature.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Australiana Literature

Race Relations in the Classroom

This literature review "Race Relations in the Classroom" presents a multicultural environment that is increasingly complex, with the rise of conservative politics and protests against welfare policies for minorities, tackling racism in the classroom is not easy.... hellip; In most cases, teachers need to shed pre-conceived notions of racism based on color....
10 Pages (2500 words) Literature review

Public Transport in Parramatta and Tourism Industry

… The paper "Public Transport in Parramatta and Tourism Industry " is a wonderful example of a literature review on tourism.... The paper "Public Transport in Parramatta and Tourism Industry " is a wonderful example of a literature review on tourism.... This paper, therefore, provides a literature review on public transport in cities like Parramatta in relation to the tourism industry.... literature Review Albalate & Bel (2010), contend that for several years transport that is public has been inferior within the priorities of policy of dispersed cities in Australia as well as other countries....
6 Pages (1500 words) Literature review

Mental Health in the Older Australian Person

The paper "Mental Health in the Older Australian Person" argues in a well-organized manner that numerous Australians experience one or more mental illnesses within the course of their lives.... As a result, mental health practitioners have a role in responding to the initial reactions to the illness....
12 Pages (3000 words) Literature review

Race Relations in Classroom

… The paper “Race Relations in Classroom” is an outstanding variant of literature review on sociology.... The paper “Race Relations in Classroom” is an outstanding variant of literature review on sociology.... Following European settlement, Australia was predominantly Anglo-Saxon with most migrants exclusively originating from the British Isles....
10 Pages (2500 words) Literature review

Inclusion of Indigenous in the AUSvels and Victorian Classrooms

From the paper "Inclusion of Indigenous in the AUSvels and Victorian Classrooms", the two main groups of indigenous people in Australia are the Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.... They have maintained a special connection between themselves and the responsibility for the country....
7 Pages (1750 words) Literature review

Policies: Where the Parties Stand - The Economy

… The paper “Australian Constitution and Bill of Right, Media Reform, Current Government vs Opposition Broadband Policies» is an exciting variant on literature review on politics.... The paper “Australian Constitution and Bill of Right, Media Reform, Current Government vs Opposition Broadband Policies» is an exciting variant on literature review on politics....
11 Pages (2750 words) Literature review

Impact of Cohabitation on Marriage in Australian Society

… The paper “Impact of Cohabitation on Marriage in Australian Society” is a meaty example of a literature review on sociology....   The paper “Impact of Cohabitation on Marriage in Australian Society” is a meaty example of a literature review on sociology.... Drawing on the available literature and situational analysis of cohabitation in Australia and worldwide, the focus of this paper is on the impact of cohabitation on marriage....
9 Pages (2250 words) Literature review

Identity of the Indigenous Australians

… The paper “Identity of the Indigenous Australians” is an intriguing variant of literature review on sociology....   The paper “Identity of the Indigenous Australians” is an intriguing variant of literature review on sociology....
7 Pages (1750 words) Literature review
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us