Overview of The Riders by Tim Winton
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OVERVIEW 'THE RIDERS' BY TIM WINTON
'The Riders', written by Tim Winton, is the story of a journey experienced by one man, and those who surround him. It is told not only from his perspective, but from his daughter's, and those who come into contact with him.
The language that Tim Winton uses to describe the surroundings and feelings of the characters draws the reader in, and forces the reader to care about the characters that he has chosen to create.
'The Riders' opens in Ireland, where a man by the name of Fredrick Michael Scully is restoring an old dilapidated house, in preparation for his wife and daughter's arrival, who are in Australia selling the house they previously lived in. Optimistic, Scully throws himself into his work, with the help of the local postman, Peter Keneally.
We learn that Scully's wife, Jennifer, was the reason Scully bought this particular house, despite it's appearance and the amount of work needed to make it livable. This clearly illustrates the deep love Scully has for Jennifer, and the lengths he will go to keep her happy. He also clearly loves their daughter, Billie, and a bond between them is mentioned often throughout the novel.
While working on the house, Scully receives a few brisk telegrams from Jennifer, keeping him updated on the business affairs. Scully wonders why the telegrams are so "businesslike" but reasons that "you couldn't exactly get hot and sweaty in a telegram"...