Comparative: important flashcards BP1 and 2
‘letters of the alphabet’ 7SOG elab. (BP1)
Originally manifesting in a state of child-like innocence as the ‘letters of the alphabet appear on her dress,’ the woman continues to grow increasingly uneasy, consumed by the English alphabet whilst she attempts to ‘evade the letters.’
‘letter of the alphabet’ analysis (BP1)
While the woman’s first exposure to westernised language is likened to a childlike game, the ‘letters of the alphabet,’ symbolising oppressive white authorities, eventually attempt to eradicate Indigenous culture through the decimation of entire languages. However, even the woman’s attempt to sing in her own dialect as a form of self-protection cannot combat the Indigenous oppression inflicted upon her, causing her to succumb to Westernised culture and ideals as she spirals into a never-ending void of deep rooted sorrow and pain.
‘boy, mule, slave’ elab. TLM BP1
Even from the very beginning of the novel, Whitechapel refers to himself as nothing by a ‘boy’ ‘mule’ and ‘slave,’ while his family call him ‘dog.’
‘boy, mule, slave’ analysis
Unlike the woman within the ‘7 stages of grieving,’ who attempts to reclaim her identity even in the midst of pain, Whitechapel rejects his name, a central pillar of one’s persona. Because he is so overwhelmed by grief, Whitechapel allows this weaponisation of language to dehumanise and strip him of all individuality. This continues to be reflected through his family, who equate him to the status of an animal, eradicating all life-like qualities and rendering him sub-human. Through Whitechapel, D’Aguiar crystalises the inevitable suffering stemming from the toxicity of pain and trauma, enveloping the vulnerable like a disease, resulting in internal oppression.
DV quote elab. (7SOG) BP1
Delivered in the style of a court report, the woman dispassionately details the death of Daniel Vocke, emotionlessly depicting his ‘limp’ and lifeless ‘body’ before he was eventually ‘pronounce dead.’
DV quote analysis
Utilising storytelling as a coping mechanisim for overwhelming grief and loss, the woman tries to emotionally distance herself from the brutal death in which the victim had to contend in his final moments. However, the juxtaposition between Vocke’s ‘limp’ and lifeless form, compared to the flat and disconnected tone of the report exposes the continuous yet indirect grief through countless Aboriginal communities, who can only shield themselves through grief through storytelling.
Chapel vs Whitechapel elab. (BP2)
Whilst Chapel believes that one day, ‘his children will be free,’ Whitechapel, ‘schooled in subservience, obedience and compliance,’ asserts that slaves will always be ‘born owned by another man,’ and rebuts his son with ‘300 years of slavery.’
Chapel vs Whitechapel analysis
Even though Chapel, who attempts to escape the collective grief experienced by slaves through his new found knowledge of literacy, the abhorrent trauma left behind as a result of ‘300 years’ of oppression will forever leave an indelible scar, forever shackling slaves to their masters. By highlighting the stark dichotomy between the progressive younger generation and the oppressed older generation, D’Aguiar intensifies the inescapable nature of trauma as a result of grappling with grief and sorrow.
