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Summary And Symbolism Of The Drought In Harper's Gothic Novel

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Australia’s variety of landscapes ranges from beautiful beaches, and mountainous land, to scorching hot deserts. This diverse and unique landscape distinguishes itself from other places around the world. However, this does not make Australia the dreamscape it is made out to be. The outback and rural towns suffer from drought, which causes the extinction of animals and continues to pose a threat to people’s lives due to the continual danger of fire. Unlike the city life of Australia, which is laid back and relaxing, the juxtaposition of the outback experience is a much tougher and harsher lifestyle to commit to. With many factors, such as the drought and heat, constantly praying for the downfall of the rural community, the people and their farms are forced to struggle endlessly as the drought eats them away. Kiewarra’s drought situation has left its people at their lowest point physically and emotionally in Harper's gothic novel. Kiewarra is ‘so keen’ to ‘get the gossip,’ (p. 148) which leads to rumour and lies …show more content…

Harper also uses the symbolism of the fire warning signs to reflect the underlying tension of the danger in small-town Kiewarra. The sign serves as a constant reminder to the community of the threat of bushfires, which can quickly turn into a devastating disaster. An example of symbolism is shown for the first time when Falk arrives in Kiewarra and notices that ‘the alert has been lodged at severe’ (p. 80). This quote highlights the precariousness of small-town rural life. The sign serves as a constant reminder to the townspeople that their lives can be turned upside down in an instant, leaving them on their knees to the environment. Fire warning signs in The Dry serve as a powerful symbol of the novel’s themes of vulnerability and uncertainty in

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