A Detailed Literature Review of Voss and Dirt Music Novels

This assignment provides a comparative literary review of Patrick White's 'Voss' and Tim Winton's 'Dirt Music'. The analysis of 'Voss' focuses on the protagonist's journey, his complex character often compared to godly figures, and his relationship with Laura, exploring themes of exploration, sacrifice, and the human spirit. The review highlights Voss's ambition to explore uncharted Australian terrains and the metaphysical connections between characters. The analysis of 'Dirt Music' centers on Georgie Jutland's life, her relationships, and the introduction of Luther Fox, an illegal fisherman, exploring themes of love, secrets, and personal dilemmas within the setting of Coronation Island. The review further discusses the complex relationships and hidden motives of the main characters, contrasting the protagonists' journeys and emotional landscapes in both novels.

Running head: SUMMARY OF NOVELS
SUMMARY OF NOVELS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Voss
Voss is a novel written by the Australian novelist Patrick White in the year of 1957. This
novel was White’s fifth publishing novel. This story revolves around the story of the famous
German explorer and naturalist named Ludwig Leichhardt. Leichhardt visited Australia in the
19th century on an expedition to find the unnatural and unidentified harsh landscapes of
Australia. He formed a team with whom he begun exploring the country through various
voyages. During in time in Australia he took three expeditions and on the third, he disappeared.
There are many theories of what actually happened to Leichhardt. Some said that the Indigenous
people captured him, some said that she died from an accident. As it was never actually found
out that what happened to him. Thus many forms of art made many changes throughout the
novel. Patrick White on the other hand created a character named Voss who is inspired from the
adventure of Leichhardt.
The novel begins with the proper introduction of the character of Voss and when he
meets the character of Laura, a young woman who is orphaned to one on the new colonies
located near New South Wales. They meet for the first time and in the house of Mr. Bonner, who
is Laura’s uncle and the patron for the expedition that Voss has undertaken. Before they start
their expedition, both of them have a word in a garden. This conversation introduces the
characters more deeply and what they actually represent (Wolfe).. The depiction of Voss’s
character is shown at its finest during this scene where he is presented as an almighty being who
possess vast knowledge about the journey he is about to take. Even throughout the novel there
are many parts where his character is often compared to God.
After their meeting in the garden, Voss and Laura begin their journey through the
unknown territories of Australia. Knowing the dangers of the land, Voss recruits many members

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to form a crew. He recruits four members, a boy named Harry Roberts who idolizes Voss as a
mentor and treats him like his hero. A young sickly man named Palferyman, who is an
ornithologist and is entitled to collect flora and fauna for a titled Englishman. A man named
Frank Le Mesurier who is of French heritage and has had done many jobs for a short amount of
time but did not find satisfaction and thus he wants to take the expedition so that he finds this
adequate for his self-knowledge and satisfaction. Lastly, a drunkard named Turner who forces
himself on Voss to take the journey and makes a promise that he would do his part. In addition,
Voss recruits two Aborigines who have vast knowledge about the unknown lands.
In the year of 1845, all of them begin their journey. At first, it was rather simple when
they started from New South Wales. However, it became more dangerous time after time as they
progressed in their expedition. What is highlight in each chapter from here on in the wonderful
relationship between Voss and Laura. What is shown is not a relationship based on romance or
sexuality but it is based on trust and respect. As their journey progresses all the members of the
party gets to know one another. Through their journey, as they crossed through desserts in which
Voss is compared to Christ and he led his followers, and this dessert is inflicted by draughts and
landscapes which cannot be covered by a single man. After that, they journey through lands that
are waterlogged, thus they have to take shelter in a cave for many days until the rain stops. The
party eventually gets spilt in two and almost all the members perish in the harsh landscapes of
Australia through different circumstances. There is a separation in between the characters on
their journey and Voss is absent. Laura adopts an orphaned child during Voss’s absence and she
attends a ball. The novel ends many years later when Laura one more surviving member of the
expedition team, Mr. Judd attends a party that gets hosted by Laura’s own cousin, Belle. That
day Laura and Mr. Judd witness the unveiling of the statue of Voss for his bravery and ambition

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that made to commit to take a journey unlike any others before him. Laura stands before the
statue of Voss and reminisce the past and the adventure they shared together. She also
remembers the letter Voss gave her as an indirect proposal. She knew that they were never meant
to be together despite the fact they were like soul mates. Though Voss and most of his team a
met a tragic end, however they lived their life without any regrets. It is an explorer’s dream to
travel without any limitations, and throughout the entire novel Voss does achieve his dream.
Voss’s wish was never to conqueror the vast landscapes of Australia but to have an adventure
that he would remember for the rest of his life. Voss had feelings towards Laura yet he did not
express it directly in any of the chapters because he wanted her to be in their journey from the
start to the end.
The final chapter explains what the role of Voss throughout the whole expedition.
Though Voss and most of his team a met a tragic end, however they lived their life without any
regrets. It is an explorer’s dream to travel without any limitations. Setbacks are a part of the
journey however Voss’s passion made a difference in the story and thus is gets remembered by
the common people. The character of Voss is very complex and throughout the story, is if often
compared to almighty being like the God or the Devil. He also has the symbolism of Jesus Christ
when he reached the desert with his followers and come out of it safely. Even when Voss and
Laura has a meeting in a garden just before he takes off in his journey, that scene is compared to
the Garden of Eden. It gives a metaphysical thread and they two main character, Voss and Laura
are often connected through visions. There are also other godly references throughout the novel
when Laura adopts an orphaned child, she names her Mercy who highlights the purest form of
sacrifice through her name and her nature. Laura and Voss are perfect partners, acknowledging
simply after Voss has at last set off that they have a place with each other. Voss proposes in a

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letter, and Laura sits tight for him. It is a disastrous sentiment, the two in number willed people,
the two outcasts, restricting their destinies together. An improbable sentiment, it is unpleasant
and contacting. To add to its extension Laura additionally gets a adopted child, Mercy, in one of
White's rich plot turns. Voss as a person is actually an example that is set for other people to
follow. Through his adventures in each of the chapters, his actions are shown as example to the
reader of what to do and what not to do. Voss is a person who is compared to God with the
means of his bravery and knowledge. Though he was a foreigner, he was not afraid to scale the
unexplored and uncharted terrains of Australia. Change is accomplished not by the spirit alone,
but rather by the spirit in co-task with the cognizant personality of the individual and that is
unmistakably spoken to in this novel. In shortcoming lies the quality. In misery lies
acknowledgment. Voss clarifies through these chapters that, torment prompts otherworldly
development. This follows not just the conspicuous need of acknowledgment accomplished
through agony, yet in addition brings up similarly perceptible challenges. It is the idea of
exploration for a man that how much he can go with what he has with him. This is reflected on
each of the chapters as will and endurance. Though it was a hard journey for them, yet they never
felt tired, and Voss made sure that they kept on going. There is an effective depiction of the
vision, which the hero longed for, at the same time, they can accomplish it just by utilizing
enduring as methods. Enduring is acquire the positive consequence of extinguishing the
otherworldly mission.
Dirt Music

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Dirt Music is a popular novel that was written in the year of 2001 by the popular novelist
Tim Winton. The novel centers on the female protagonist Georgie Jutland and the dilemma she
faces. She is a strong willed and ambitious girl from Perth. Her father is a barrister who owns a
yacht and the local people often describe her to be a “princess”. At the beginning of the novel
she is leaves her university to become a nurse. Georgie is a free spirited woman as she travels
around the around from White Point to Saudi Arabia. From there she travels to Lombok to help a
shipwrecked crew. Overall she is a well mannered girl and this is shown in the first chapter when
she talks to a local dog. In her relationship with Jim, she is clearly troubled, not because he
mistreats with her but just because of the fact that Georgie has not found love in Jim.
One day when Georgie visits the Coronation Island, she notices a stranger named Luther
Fox who was apparently fishing, Luther lives his life as an illegal fisherman or as said in the
novel, a shamateur (Harris). At first she did not think too much about him however when she
slowly got to know the person, both of them slowly and steadily engage in a relationship. As the
story progresses, it is revealed that his whole family died in an accident of a freak rollover. Ever
since then he has been growing watermelons and playing his old guitar in a band that involves a
family. However when he started living his life as an illegal fisherman, he left his love towards
music and tries to avoid all conversations related to it. It is as if the discussion of music causes
him pain and he gets reminded of his past. The course of Georgie and Luther's intimate romance
keeps running a long way from smooth. White Pointers slaughter Luther's pooch and set fire to
his home. He evades suffocating and flies out north to discover Coronation Island, which
Georgie has contributed with a spiritualist power for him. There he turns into a kind of New Age
drifter, substituting a fishnet Aeolian harp for his dearest guitar. A portion of the rednecks he
experiences on his excursion are deserving of any Bumper Book of Monsters. However when

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Goergie introduces Luther to Jim for the first time there is a sense of hatred in the mind of Jim as
he hates poachers and as Luther is an illegal fisherman, he does not like him at all. Georgie also
takes care of Jim's two sons though their relationship is uneasy. It is noticeable at this point that
all the three main characters, Georgie, Luther and Jim has duel self and each of them try to hide
their motives from each other. There is a tension between the three of them as think what the
other actually wants. As the chapters progress, it is revealed that the Coronation Island is a place
where secrets are not kept hidden for too long. People over here maintain a low profile and it
does not take too long for a secret to get revealed. The most contributing factor occurs when the
secret is actually revealed. It does took take too long for the secret to be revealed. Normally in a
situation like this Georgie would basically run off with Luther however what happened is that he
took off once people got to know about their affair. Jim, Georgie's actual lover after hearing
about the whole scenario becomes so frustrated and angry that he goes out to hunt down Luther.
Gerogie is basically left with a sense of dilemma and wanders what she would do next. Luther
gets stuck in a situation where he has to fend for his own and he has to survive in the wilderness
of Australian harsh lands. At the end of the novel, it basically becomes a situation where Luther
and Georgie are possibly not in love anymore but they cannot live without each other. When they
provided each other with the support in their most difficult time, it is actually after that they truly
fall for each other.
The final chapters give out the idea that wonderful description of the characters
and their movies. The secrets which is shared amongst them is a mystery throughout the novel
and in some of the chapters, Winton gives out hints by which it can be understand that the
motives behind the characters secrets. This is the key element of the novel that actually escalates
the story further. They do not know what is in the mind of a character about whom he or she is

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reading about, only then the reader becomes intrigued in the story and wants to know exactly
what the characters are going to do next. This is kind of a suspenseful element that keeps the
story going. This gives a huge idea about the unknown side of Australia’s interiors and also
showcases the complete grip of Winton’s abilities of the vernacular state of democratic decency.
Jim goes to the extent of betraying his wife with a woman from the Fox clan who is not to be
assuaged by providing the largest barramundi towards the northern side of Australia. The course
of Georgie and Luther's intimate romance keeps running a long way from smooth. White
Pointers slaughter Luther's pooch and set fire to his home. He evades suffocating and flies out
north to discover Coronation Island, which Georgie has contributed with a spiritualist power for
him. There he turns into a kind of New Age drifter, substituting a fishnet Aeolian harp for his
dearest guitar. A portion of the rednecks he experiences on his excursion are deserving of any
Bumper Book of Monsters.
Mullumbimby
Mullumbimby is a novel written by Melissa Lucashenko that is actually her fifth novel.
This novel interprets the common idea of how two people belongs to each other and the idea of
how they belong to a particular place. The central theme focus on the fact that land can be a
commodity or it can be a sense of belonging. The first chapter introduces the reader to
Mullumbimby, a small town located 20 kilometers away from the New South Sales coast. The
name of this town is derived from the local language of Bundjalung. The story centers around the
character Jo-Breen, an Indigenous woman from the north coast of Australia who used a
lawnmower to edge around the graves of the Non-Indigenous people, both those who have

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recently passed away and those who have died a long time back. This gives her an opportunity to
purchase a small land in her name for her and her teenage daughter. Jo goes through conflicts
that involves racism, cultural issues and sexism which causes the picturesque scenery of the New
South Wales. As the story progresses, Jo meets a mysterious black person named Twoboy that
starts the story of the complicated and long road towards the Native Title, despite the fact that his
family is involved in an unwavering battle regarding right for land within their territory. Jo is an
emotional person who likes to reminiscence about the past, thought the chapter there are
instances where she remembers what her ancestors used to do. This sense of familiarity that jo
feels comes from the idea that her ancestors have walked this land before her. By looking at the
creeks and ridges she gets a nostalgic connect. She feels like that she is alienated from the
natives but the land actually hold a place for her. It is actually through these thoughts she is
connected with the everyone and not thought socialization. She is a person who has very few
things in her life, as her husband has already left her, she is only left with the teenage daughter
who is not too much fond of her. She is also isolated from her own people because of the fact
she has lived in both of the cultures (West). However after meeting Twoboy, Jo actually gets
stronger and starts to hold her ground whenever she gets in a conflict. This conflicts which is
highlighted in every chapter and that starts major battles and fights within the communities and
the local mob. This also creates and ends relationships that have taken a long time to built. Jo
being a single mother lives with her daughter in a land that has been ‘haunted’ by her ancestors.
Both of them live a modest life and after they left the city and Jo’s husband together. Unlike
most single mothers, she does not only go through the trouble of coping with a teenage daughter
but also as she is an Indigenous woman, she deals with the elements of racism and sexism. In the
next chapters, Jo is represented as an emotional person.

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At this point of the novel, Uncle Humbug is introduced who is lost through most part of
the story and as he is a drunk elderly person. Humbug acts as a broken compass for Jo, despite
the fact that he is a broken person from outside but still he possess the strong tool of experience
with which he guides Jo. It is at this part Jo realizes the battle that is going through will be fought
by her daughter someday therefore she keep on fighting to be a guidance for her daughter to
follow. In the next chapter Jo decides that she has to take a stand if she wants a life for herself
and her daughter. There are constant references throughout the chapters of what Jo has been
through and references what she might be going though. Despite all this problems in her life she
remain positive and do not let her daughter too involved with the problems of the land and the
natives. From that moment till there are the explainable drawing driven from the land and the gift
of sight that is introduced twice. She looks at the land and she has a mix feeling of a sense of
belonging and a distance. This is all brought together and just like the spokes on a wheel, these
all are connected in the end of the final chapters. The journey that the character goes through is
interconnected in the final chapters and the natives overwhelm her when they dispute over the
conflict of the land.
The final chapter gives an exact idea of Jo towards the society as well as herself. There
are inconsistencies that would create a rare head-jumping moment from a particular character’s
monologue. Despite the fact there are moment which seem to be too real, as if Melissa
Lucashenko herself experienced such moments. However, there are some supernatural moments
which has been introduced just to spice up the characters and the chapters. One it is understood
that this mysterious moment is utilized then it is an underlying part that keeps on lurking below
the main surface of the story. The haunted voices in the landscapes are a major example of that.
From that moment till there are the explainable drawing driven from the land and the gift of sight

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that is introduced twice. The character of Jo is from the start to the finish of the novel is in a state
where she tries to discover herself and at the same time preserve herself from the society. Being
an Indigenous woman of a non-Indigenous society, she and her daughter gets into a lot of
turbulence throughout the novel in each of the chapters and what actually helps her to go through
the situation is her strong willpower. The story is from a third person perspective the reader is
introduced to the characters and their experiences as if they are in their shoes. There are
characters that the reader can relate and even hate. The whole scenery is beautiful with excellent
description of the country As she has been part of both the societies, she know how to survive.
Yet being in such a situation, she keeps her gentle and cheerful mood that is her strongpoint
despite being an Indigenous woman. The novel explains her struggle not just through her
viewpoint, but also from the people around her and how the action would influence Jo. This is all
brought together and just like the spokes on a wheel, these all are connected in the end of the
final chapters. The journeys and the experiences that the characters go through are all
interconnected in the end of the story that brings forth a conclusion.
True History of the Kelly Gang
The True History of Kelly Gang written by Peter Carey is one of the most popular
fictional adaptations of Australian novel. Peter Carey wrote the novel from the standpoint of the
writing found on Kelly’s Jerilderie letter that gives the reader facts about the man Ned Kelly.
From the first chapter, the reader is introduced to a handwritten description of what was Ned and
his gang final stand in Glenrowan, a town of Victoria, Australia. As per the description, it was
said that Kelly was the one who lured the local police in an all out shooting. From there, it is

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taken back to the introduction of Kelly and his gang who were relaxing at a hotel with self-made
armor with a bucket shaped helmet. After serving in the American Civil War’s battleship service,
Kelly was called the “The Monitor”. Though he was an ambitious man, he wrote a letter just
before the end of his career to his unborn daughter that gave a description of his motives and his
hopes.
Kelly writes about his father John “Red” Kelly who commited crimes that Kelly never
spoke about and a constable named O’Neill who was a sinister member of the police force. Kelly
writes about a man who plotted with others to kill a landowner. This man was later caught and
transported to Van Dieman’s land, which was later revealed to his father. O’Neill explained
Kelly what happened that night when he saw Red wearing a dress when he commited the crime.
At first he did not believe O’Neill however when he found the dress in his home he was
surprised. Kelly then proceeds to write about his mother, Ellen who was a tough woman,
occasionally fought, and dealt with the police those who came to her home because of Red. She
was a woman who protected her family from any kind of problems. Kelly committed his first
crime when he killed a calf just to put food on the table. Then it is revealed that Red is arrested
for poaching and dies during his stay at the prison.
In the next parcel, Kelly moves with his mother and brother to Greta where his brother
James is arrested. Ellen after the death of her husband and the arrest of her son gets devastated
and a being to look for suitors and it is at this point the novel introduces Harry Power, an outlaw
who becomes one of the suitors and a mentor for Kelly (Russ and MacFarlane). Power is a
convict who has escaped from the Pentridge Prison and gives Ellen and Kelly the information
where James is located (Leahy, Fiona and Harris). He also gives Ellen the money to hire a
lawyer. After James is rescued, it is revealed that Ellen’s wish to own a fertile land with peace