Blog Post Week 5 Prompt 2

In New South Wales, there are a variety of perspectives on the Aboriginal people, ranging from Smasher Sullivan's sadistic behavior to Blackwood's philosophy of "give a little, take a little" The scene where Will watches the Native people cook the kangaroo people seemed to sum up the European's attitude toward the Native people. As Thornhill sees the Aboriginals cover the kangaroo in embers, he makes fun of them, claiming they have no idea how to prepare meat. He, of course, proceeds to dismally fail in his own preparation and cooking of the animal. Overall, it seems like the majority of the convicts look down on the Aboriginals, thinking themselves superior and more sophisticated. While this is racist, it is also ignorant, as some of the things that the Europeans look down prove to be useful. A specific example is the Native peoples' nakedness, which Will repeatedly frowns upon. He later notes how the Aboriginals can move nearly silently and more quickly, which is probably impossible in the European's thick clothes and shoes. This lack of clothing proves useful in their environment, making it easier to hunt. Will and the Europeans look at Native culture and see the differences as negative. While they should respect their culture regardless of its practicality, the felons never consider that these customs have specific functions that have helped the Aboriginal people live in Australia long before white settlers arrived. The example of the kangaroo demonstrates this irrational sense of superiority and knowledge. Will has never seen or prepared a kangaroo before, yet he somehow feels like he knows more about the process than the people who have been doing this for centuries. It makes no sense, and as a reader, I was happy to see that he crashed and burned. Maybe he and the other convicts will learn from the Aboriginals in the remainder of the novel, but I’m not going to hold my breath.