As Michael Griffin states, “David Malouf is arguably one of the finest authors writing in English today. His deep interest in the way imagination is a tool for understanding the world more completely than any scientific or psychological analysis might do” (Griffin, 2014). The Novel ‘Remembering Babylon’ is an incredibly well-written novel that explores the aspects of colonization (A Striped Armchair, 2008). Within ‘Remembering Babylon’ the point of view is unique and develops different perspectives within the text. The reasoning behind the point of view would be to position the reader to understand the both sides of the ideas being presented within the text. Third person point of view is primarily the foundation to the novel, although the …show more content…
The Northern Territory’s “National Emergency Response” states that racial “othering” still takes place in Australia today (Willis, 2012). The opening chapter of Remembering Babylon orients the reader of the ‘othered’ construction of Gemmy and through the manner in which the Whites respond to the ‘Other’. At the beginning of the novel Lachlan is the centered point of view. Lachlan displays his masculinity by protecting his cousins from Gemmy, it states, “it was the boy’s intention to confront it” (Malouf, 1993, p.3). By stating this line through this characters representation Malouf is positioning the character to appear brave and protective of his family. Later in the chapter this point of view is challenged when Janet McIvor states that “me and Meg found him, just as much as Lachlan,”(Malouf, 1993, p.6,7) but is suddenly hushed by her mother. Gender- based discrimination was excessive in the past and is shown through the silencing of Janet from her mother. As Melanie Allgard from the Human Rights of all Women suggests that Gender based discrimination is still prevalent today, “Women account for more than half the population in Australia and, unfortunately, the human rights of these women are breached every day, primarily through gender discrimination and inequality” (Allgard,