Playing Beatie Bow Analysis

‘Playing Beatie Bow’ published in 1980 encompasses the contrast in the social and cultural context between the 1870’s and 1970’s in the Rocks Sydney. In this book the scenario is a teenage girl who is part of a prophecy and is transported to the 1870’s to the Rocks, Sydney to the Bow and Tallisker hold. ‘The stranger’ (teenage girl) must make the gift strong again so it is enabled to allow the Bow and Tallisker to continue on through the family. The gift has the ability to provide a sense of seeing the future and teleporting to the past and present, and enables to heal the wounded.

Family structure in the lower rocks Sydney 1870’s tended to be extended. This was most common for this situation to happen because people had a low socio economic

The 1870’s people had no supply of plumbing or showering, showering in the 1870’s was just a wash bucket to clean them for the month. Plumbing was not an option in the 1870’s as there wasn’t such a thing, although people managed to get a bath with a providence of a wheat bag to clean them with. However if they used a soap made out of coal to clean with but left their skin chapped. Cleaning their sheets would normally consist of using vinegar as a cheap alternative ‘her pillow smelt of chicken coop’ in spite of having no plumbing they used a ‘wee housie’ to substitute a toilet used in 1970’s the 1970’s plumbing was an option people had showers and a big water supply to have a daily wash, this water supply was provided to everyone but paid for monthly or weekly. In the 1970’s they had a nice way of washing their clothes and bed sheets called washing powder to clean their sheets and clothes, but leave them smelling nice.

To conclude ‘Playing Beatie Bow’ published in 1980 encompasses the contrast in the social and cultural context between the 1870’s and 1970’s in the Rocks Sydney. Family structure in the lower rocks Sydney 1870’s tended to be extended. Contrasting the social context in ‘Playing Beatie Bow’ feminine stereotypes were juxtaposed in the 1870’s and 1970’s. Cultural context in ‘Playing Beatie Bow’ clothing varies a lot between both centuries as they had different styles. Cultural context in ‘Playing Beatie Bow’ cleanliness/sanitation was a big part of everyday life in the 1870’s and