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The Secret River - Coggle Diagram
The Secret River
Themes
Social order & class
Thornhill is born in poverty but when he is forced to move to Australia, he eventually becomes a wealthy man. He does struggle a lot because he's a convict.
Colonialism
The book tells the story about Thornhill's time in Australia when white people first started moving there and hadn't taken over the land completely
Being an immigrant
Sal often longs of going back to London, because she feels like she doesn't belong in Australia. Thornhill on the other hand falls in love with the beauty of the land and doesn't want to move back
Language
Thornhill is mostly illiterate but when he moves up in the hierarchy, he learns to write, which shows he isn't as poor as he used to be anymore
Justice & consequences
Thornhill tries to escape poverty and doesn't want his family to be afraid of the natives anymore, which is why he decides he will join his acquintances as they decide they want to kill the natives. Once Thornhill grows out of poverty he will carry that memory and the guilt that comes with it, with him for life
Plot
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Resolution
When Thornhill lives in his estate happily with his family and doesn't have to worry about the natives anymore because most of them moved away
Style & Structure
Sequence
A combination because in the beginning of the book William looks back on his time in London, where he grew up
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Epistolary?
No, the book isn't a literary work made out of letters, diary writings, blog posts or emails
The story gives you two perspectives since Thornhill is always unsure about the way he feels about the natives. Eventually he does make a choice, but I don't think it's the right one
Symbols
Guns
Thornhill sees guns as a way to protect his family and to keep them safe, but it does the opposite for the natives
Cobham Hall
Represents Thornhill's strange success in Australia as Cobham Hall feels off to him, but it does show that he's not poor anymore
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