Jasper Jones Quotes Flashcards
Quote after destroying the garden
“He’s involved. He’s red. He’s a read. He’s a red! Fucking! Rat!…He probably killed that young girl. Go back to Hano, rats”.
The colour red in this quote is symbolic of communists which is what the Lu family are stereotyped as being due to them being Vietnamese even though they are actually friendly, honourable people. The book was set during the Vietnam War, where many Australians set off to Vietnam to fight against the Vietcong.
They’re angry because of the Vietnam war and the loved ones who have gone to fight. Symbolism – “red”, referring to the Vietnamese flag and communism and the spread of communism, dialogue – exclamation and accusation, tone – accusatory, judgmental, critical.
Harry Rawlings quote after garden incident
For some folks, it’s easier to condemn another man than have the strength to right your own wrongs. But he’ll get his one day, because for every one of him, there are a dozen Harry Rawlings ready to stand in his way.
Every society has its scapegoat, to whom they transfer their collective guilt in order to unload their own culpability. Jasper Jones becomes the perfect scapegoat, as he represents the stereotypical “bad boy.” Every society has its scapegoat, to whom they transfer their collective guilt in order to unload their own culpability. Jasper Jones becomes the perfect scapegoat, as he represents the stereotypical “bad boy.” This is a turning point in the novel, because it shows that Corrigan has plenty to be proud of, even when one considers the racism and anti-intellectualism previously on display there. It’s not just Wesley, in other words, who rushes to defend An—it’s everyone who lives near the Lus’ house. There are still some good, honest people in Corrigan, and plenty of them. It’s also notable that James Trent shares a last name with Warwick, so it’s likely that he’s Warwick’s father or brother—possibly explaining where Warwick picked up his racist bullying and thus suggesting that racism is associated with upbringing.
Dog: after Wesley stands up for Lu’s
“Whereas my father, tonight, he proved me wrong. He stood up for something. He really did. And I was so impressed, so awed to see him lean in with that kind of aggression. But not even that stays in me unchecked; there’s a low dog with his teeth in my shirt, hassling and tugging and pulling me down with the insistent thought that it wasn’t enough, that it would never be enough. Because Jeffrey Lu was a hero today and when he got to the top they dragged him back to the bottom. They showered him with shit. They made him feel rubbish when he should be kite high. Because those men struck his father, over and over, and they destroyed something beautiful. And nothing will ever happen to them.”
Charlie is proud of his father for bending Charlie’s perception of him being docile and placid, and standing up for the Lu’s. The dog in this quote represents Charlie’s morals/conscious that is telling Charlie that something is still wrong. Despite his dads efforts, Charlie knows that the racism has already done its damage. Part of him also knows that his dad’s efforts will not prevent the next attack, or the next instance of racism. Charlie knows that racism is pervasive, and worst of all: because of it, the men who did these terrible acts suffer no consequences at all.
After Charlie hears about bomb blast: DOG
It feels like somebody is ripping my insides out. Like some kind of mongrel dog has a hold of my intestines, and it’s tugging and wresting at them right there in front of me, low and angry. And I feel like letting go, truth be told. I feel like letting the dog have me, letting myself spool out like an old woollen jumper until I’m empty and light.
After Charlie receives news of Jeffrey’s family being bomb blasted in Vietnam, Charlie refers to the dog again which is ‘tuggling and wrestling’ at his intestines, wishing to let the dog have him, letting himself spool until he’s “empty and light”. His intestines are metaphorically paralled to a conscious burden he has. The burden is him slowly uncovering the brutality of the world he has been shielded from, particularly in racist aspects.
Quote about Jasper being judged first
“Because a girl goes missing in this town and it’s Jasper Jones who is held and threatened and belted for days, but somehow those monsters will arouse no suspicion.”
The anaphora/irony in this quote places emphasis on Jasper being held responsible for the murder purely based off racial prejudices. Whereas, the group of men that attacked An Lu, destroyed his property and his garden with several witnesses present will reap no consequences.
Charlie maturing
“I don’t understand a thing about this world: about people, and why they do things they do. The more I found out, the more I uncover, the more I know, the less I understand.
Shows Charlie’s maturation about how complex the world really is.
Intro to Jasper
Jasper Jones has a terrible reputation in Corrigan. He’s a thief, a liar, a thug, a truant. He’s lazy and unreliable. He’s feral and an orphan, or as good as. His mother is dead and his father is no good. He’s the rotten model that parents hold aloft as a warning: this is how you’ll end up if you’re disobedient. Jasper Jones is the example of where poor aptitude and attitude will lead.
The definitiveness of the judgement is shown by the asyndeton and the capitalisation. Shows how Jasper is a social pariah etc.
Charlie offers to tell the police
“Bloody hell. Listen, Charlie, we can’t tell anyone. No way. Specially the police. Because they are gonna say it was me. Straight up. Understand?
Only because of the colour of his skin and his reputation associated with that, they are going to accuse him automatically. Charlie is also filled with this idea at the start of the book.
Charlie’s thoughts after hearing about bombings in Vietnam
“Strangely, of all the horrible things I’ve encountered and considered recently, dropping a bomb seems to be the least violent among them, even though it’s clearly the worst. But there’s no evil mug shot, no bloody globe. It’s hard to figure out who to blame. There’s something clean about all that distance. Maybe the further away you are, the less you have to care, the less you’re responsible. But that seems wrong to me. It should be in the news. It’s wrong that they died. But if they weren’t Jeffrey’s family, would I care so much? That’s hard. Probably not, I guess. I mean, if you took every bad event in the world to heart, you’d be a horrible mess.”
In this passage, Charlie is considering the death of Jeffery’s family members in Vietnam. He feels as though it is wrong that the bombing of Jeffery’s family’s village isn’t on the news the night that it happens. Charlie doesn’t realize that a bombing of this nature probably occurs daily in Vietnam during the war and that many innocent people were facing worse atrocities than that. Charlie thinks that there are good and bad things in the world, and trusts resources like news outlets to be a source of good. This passage introduces the important themes of relativity, perspective, and culpability in the novel. Charlie is beginning to understand how the world works and how adults often cope with violence by ignoring it. He feels anger, but he doesn’t yet why they do this..
Tea Act
“She screamed until her face was red, then she stomped over to Mrs Lu. She slapped her cup up, right into her chest and her chin, staining her thin summer blouse and scalding her skin.”
Abuse towards Jeffrey
“Someone kicks Jeffrey’s ankle and yells ** off cong”.
This racial epithet depicts the racill prejudice that is experienced by the Lu family.
Example of racism built into systematic racism
‘I remember thinking that if I hadn’t seen the cuts and bruises on Jasper’s face for myself, I wouldn’t have thought for a second that this burly paternal copper was capable of locking up an innocent boy without charge and beating him. If Jasper Jones hadn’t shown me the cigarette burns on his shoulders just hours before, if I hadn’t touched their ugly pink pucker with my fingertips, I wouldn’t have suspected this man to be the monster he was”.
Strong visual imagery on Jasper’s wounds shows the dark internalised racism within the justice system, which shows the violent, dark nature of the police.
Cricket
“I observe Jeffery standing apart from the group sucking at a plastic cup as the rest of the team forms a circle that excludes him.”
Everyone is excluding Jeffrey at the cricket game as he was Vietnamese despite that he was about to win the cricket game for the team. Juxtaposition and contrast – the rest of the team is in whilst he is out, symbolism – circle symbolises unity and completeness, Jeffrey being outside the circle highlights his alienation. Highlights the ostracism.
Magic
and it happens like that. Like when you first realize there is no such thing as magic. Or that nothing actually answers your prayers, or really ever listens. That cold moment of dismay where your feet are kicked from under you, where you’re disarmed by a shard of knowing”
When Charlie looks at Jasper and understands that he will always be the first suspected in any event, he thinks, “And it happens like that. Like when you first realize that there is no such thing as magic. Or that nothing actually answers your prayers, or really even listens. That cold moment of dismay where your feet are kicked from under you, where you’re disarmed by a shard of knowing. He’s right. Jasper Jones is right. Charlie’s realisation of this cold fact is like telling a child when magic doesn’t exist. It takes his soul etc.
Tea Incident
In the vestibule of the Miners’ Hall, Charlie notices Jeffrey with his parents. Charlie greets Jeffrey, and they agree that the police know nothing. In the middle of their conversation, there is a cry. Mrs. Lu has poured hot water into her teacup from an urn left for the townspeople to drink from. A woman named Sue Findlay sees her doing so, and angrily slaps the teacup from her hand, throwing scalding water onto Mrs. Lu’s skin. Sue then yells profanities at Mrs. Lu, who is completely quiet and still. As she’s about to grab Mrs. Lu’s hair, some townspeople lead Sue away, leaving Jeffrey to lead his mother out of the building. He waves goodbye to Charlie, so casually that Charlie doesn’t know how to respond. After Jeffrey and his mother leave, Charlie’s parents talk to each other without mentioning what just happened to Mrs. Lu. This is also referenced again when, “It’s the whole choir of mute voices that puts a lump in my throat. Why didn’t anybody help her?”.
This confrontation shows the extent of the racism underlying the daily life of the town—a prejudiced status quo that here bubbles over into violence. This isn’t only a conflict between angry schoolboys and Jeffrey—it extends to fully-grown adults who ought to know much better. Charlie’s take on the scene seems much more sensible and mature than either of his parents’ reactions. Where Wesley and Charlie’s mother want to forget about what happened, Charlie refuses to do so. This shows the extent of his compassion for his friend and his friend’s family, as well as his commitment to truth and justice.
