The Construction of Derby Boxer-Divine Wind Essay Example

Through out the novel it was apparent that Gary Disher believed that the majority of pastoralists thought in this way.Thus he is making a cultural assumption.

Structurally Gary Disher built the character Derby Boxer using three different conduits . The first conduit is Hartley who introduces the reader to Derby. Secondly we are given more information via the opinions of other characters in the book. Then finally the climatic conclusion of the court case, where we see the real Derby and not the tainted versions given by the other characters.

The reader hears the opposing viewpoints but in the end bases their judgements on his actual actions. However is proving that he is a ‘drunk’ (Hartley pg 16) but not without moral distinctions’ (Lester Web pg 73). As previously outlined in the essay Derby was constructed not so much by his own actions but as a consequence of other characters opinions. Thus the words used to describe him, the linguistic techniques, are important. Hartley’s uses the various words to describe Derby’s character and behaviour.

‘Giggled, affectionate , sentimental, tired smile lines, shy, hard worker. ’. These are positive sentiments that position the reader to relate benevolently to Derby. Other characters such as Carl Venning depict Derby with the following words; ‘disappointment, snigger, shut up, drunk, go hang’.The racist attitudes of the time are personified by the subordinate characters in the book.

Contrastingly, these attitudes are not shared by that of the protagonist, Hartley and his family. As Hartley is the most prominent character of the book, his opinions are the ones that the reader takes on. Thus positioning the readers to be anti-racism . Arguably

through Hartley’s attitudes we can summarise that Gary Disher’s attitudes may run parallel to his. Gary Disher positions the reader to be anti-racist as he discredits the characters with the racial views.The racist couple, the Webb’s, were racists.

Gary Disher described them as; ‘he looked like a back alley skulker’ and she was an ‘unhappy’ person. Thus the reader is positioned to be prejudiced to these people and their views, before the characters have even spoke a word. In regards to Derby Boxer, this means that the reader is positioned to be unbiased and even sympathetic towards his aboriginal status. An example of when Gary Disher uses Derby’s Aboriginal status and position to evoke sympathy in the reader is in the chapter ‘Come to grief’.In this chapter Derby is accused of having carnal knowledge of girl whilst drunk, which from previous excerpts in the book we find a sceptical claim as it would be out of character for Derby.

Though he is known to ‘unwind with a cheap wine’ (pg 16) he is not ‘un ugly or viscous drunk’(pg 16). As the chapter progresses our doubts of the how Derby’s confession is obtained increases as it becomes clear that Derby is forced into a confession. The discriminatory behaviour of the police is intended to shock the reader who would feel that the police have a duty to protect and serve all people, regardless of their race.Gary also uses Michael Penrose as a catalyst to fuel our emotions.

As Penrose becomes increasingly distressed and outraged at Derby’s treatment, so does the reader. Derby Boxer was a victim of his time. Unable to vote and not counted

on the census he wasn’t recognised as an Australian citizen. An example of these racist practices was that Derby Boxer was made to sit in the area of the cinema ‘unofficially set aside for Aboriginals and Islanders’ (pg17). Whilst subtle, Gary Disher’s message is clear about the lack of aboriginal rights.

Aboriginals were servants merely tolerated to work the machinery.This is reflected in the conversation between Jamie and his dad; ‘Who does all of the work while we sit inside out of the sun, Dad? ’ ‘Machinery,’ Mr Killian said ‘And who works the machinery? ’ Jamie demanded ‘We may need some black workers,’ his father conceded. (28pg) Gary Disher makes the cultural assumption that the aboriginals of the 1940’s were passive, resigned to the situation imposed by the Whiteman. This again makes the reader feel sympathetic towards the character Derby Boxer.

We sympathise with him as you would a beaten dog. Downtrodden he becomes cowered and learns to accept the authority of the Whiteman.This resignation is clear when he is accused of a crime for which he is knowingly innocent. He confesses ‘out of a lifetime’s habit of gratuitously concurring with anything that a white suggested. ’ Derby Boxer is a fictional character based on the real views and attitudes of the 1940’s.

He is an aborigine and thus is subject to the racism of this era. However, Gary Disher positions the reader to be against this racism, by the attitudes of the protagonist. Through Hartley’s obvious attitudes against racism it could be suggested that Gary Disher is communicating his own personal views.