The Black Cockatoo is an interesting and engaging young Australian fiction novel set in Falls Creek. The story was written by Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler, both coming from Indigenous backgrounds. They were inspired by their culture and connection to the country to write ‘Black Cockatoo’. The novel is about a first nation teen named Mia, who after her brother shoots a Dirrarn (Black Cockatoo) comes to the bird's rescue and in doing so she goes through a journey of self discovery and by the end realises how important respect and freedom are. From Mia's journey, we learn about the theme of respect and freedom. These themes are explored in the novel through learning about respect for Elders, respect for country and respect for yourself. Freedom is shown in the novel by Mia’s understanding and eventual freedom, she also comes to a realisation that the Dirrarn must be set free. The theme of respect is explored in the novel ‘Black Cockatoo’ through Mia’s respect for the animals and her elders. Mia learns from her elder, her grandfather, that ‘You only take what you need’. Mia learns that it is important in her culture to respect the animals and the land. Another example of respect is ‘His calm …show more content…
As Mia released the Dirrarn she felt ‘A strong wind stirred up the red dust around her, and she could feel the Dirrarns freedom’. The release of the bird segmented that everything deserves freedom. The author uses visual imagery to create an effect of nature coming to life. Another example is when ‘She watched as the Dirrarn slowly stretched its fragile wings’. She knew it was the right thing to release the Dirrarn and let it be free. The author used visual imagery to set the idea of the weak Dirrarn becoming free. Even further after the release, ‘Mia discovered that freedom was in her, her land and her soul’. This truly finalises the facts that she was finally