Disspossessed Essay, Research Paper

Text Response:

Dispossessed

1. The reclamation of the land has had a strong impact on the lives of Liz, Len, Max and Amanda. They are a family loosing their identity struggling to accept their imminent dispossession and the optimism held by Amanda in regard to it.

2. Liz?s pregnancy is one preoccupation on the text. The characters view this in various ways, for example the sarcasm of Max with his ?afternoon? comment regarding Liz?s ?late? arousal at eight am. It is also seen when Liz blatantly states that ?something in this pregnancy felt wrong?.

3. When Liz sees the dying rabbit she makes the decision to leave the farm, taking Amanda with her. This appears to be the pivotal scene of the novel as it can be taken that Liz sees herself in the dying rabbit. She choses to leave as the most humane option open to her. There is a strong connection between Liz?s view of Amanda?s future and that of the unborn child when contemplating the leave.

4. Three quotations to show decay in the landscape, extracted from the book:

?She concentrated on the sounds the birds were making in the roof. If anything they seemed more agitated now, as though a disagreement might be taking place.? Pg 18

?It had a groggy look on its face, a bloody patch below the auburn band across its neck and shoulders, and a lot of glossy blood all down its pallid chest? Pg53

? The wind was suddenly directing smells of rotting flesh at her..? Pg 68

Three quotations which show the beauty in the landscape, extracted form the novel:

?The sun had gone when they arrived back home but there was light enough to make the trees along the creek a ragged silhouette, a narrow dark torn strip laid out between the new growth paddocks and the polished sky.? Pg34

?The cattle?s creamy whites and outback reds were constantly being moed and rearranged, revolving on a shifting axis?? P47

?The view was out across the yard and into where the cow and calf were standing now in gentle monochrome? Pg 13

5. The character of Amanda strongly contrasts with the other characters of the novella.