Fringe of Leaves
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YR 12 LITERATURE
ASSESSMENT: A Fringe of Leaves
The social structures and dispositions represented in A Fringe of Leaves reflect an imposition of twentieth century values and attitudes on a nineteenth century society. Patrick White, born of the twentieth century, imposes ideologies of the 1970s by challenging certain social constructs of the 1830s. Consequently, the text challenges the patriarchal gender organisation, the class system, attitudes towards race and religion and the cultural identity of Australia in the nineteenth century.
The novel challenges the patriarchal gender structure of the 1830s society, reflecting the gradually increasing egalitarian views towards the roles of males and females. White imposes twentieth century egalitarian ideologies on the nineteenth century society by reversing gender roles. Austin is depicted as a weak and sickly male who is heavily dependent on Ellen. "But it was Ellen who knew. Her voice dulled anxieties, wrapped him in a fog of contentment where nor equivocal shapes were likely to rise and endanger him." Thus, Ellen and Austin's gender roles are reversed as Ellen is the strong protector while Austin is the weak and sickly male. Furthermore, Austin's choice of Virgil's Georgics is deeply ironic as it is about man's relationship with the environment; something Austin will never experience but Ellen would, hence further reversing patriarchal gender roles as Ellen is more active, courageous and is the one who experiences more of life then Austin...