Identify and explain major themes
Secrets, trust and the truth The idea of keeping secrets is prevalent throughout most of the story. It first appeared when Jasper Jones asked Charlie to keep his secret about knowing where Laura Wishart was. However, as the story progresses Charlie realises that the longer he keeps this secret to himself, the more stressed he becomes. His uneasiness and apprehension with holding the secret shows how much secrets can destroy mentality – ‘I wonder what it is with holding in this secret that hurts so much.’ This burden of a secret is made even harder to keep inside when his relationship with Eliza Wishart, Laura’s sister, strengthens. Under the impression that Eliza does not know anything about her sister, Charlie grows more and more uneasy. Despite this, the whole story is only resolved with secrets when Eliza reveals that she knows exactly what happened to Laura, telling her secret for the first time. Scapegoats and prejudice Scapegoat: a person who is blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others, especially for reasons of expediency. ‘Jasper Jones has a terrible reputation in Corrigan. He’s a Thief, a Liar, A Thug, a Truant. He’s lazy and unreliable. He’s a feral and an orphan, or as good as. His mother is dead and his father is no good. He’s the rotten model that parents hold aloft as a warning: This is how you’ll end up if you’re disobedient. Jasper Jones is the example of where poor aptitude and attitude will lead. In families throughout Corrigan, he’s the first name to be blamed for all manner of trouble. Whatever the misdemeanour, and no matter how clear their own child’s guilt, parents ask immediately: Were you with Jasper Jones?’ – page 5. Corrigan blames Jasper whenever something bad happens. Whenever a crime or misdemeanour happens – such as the burning of the post office – Jasper is still considered the most likely of subjects. However, there is no justifiable evidence to make any proof against him. Rather, the town’s prejudice has shaped Jasper’s misunderstood reputation; Jasper is used as a tool in Corrigan; an excuse. However, ironically Jasper scapegoats Mad Jack Lionel the one person responsible for Laura’s death, because he apparently killed a woman and never left his house since. This accusation is parallel to the town’s ability to scapegoat without rational reason. He would have never suspected the true murderer to be Laura’s father, the town shire, despite knowing and experiencing his monstrosity when he savagely beat Jasper. Yet, on far less and weaker evidence, Jasper still believes that the culprit is Mad Jack Lionel. Morality Linking with the previous topic of prejudice, the citizens of Corrigan are terribly understood when they look at Jasper. They only see his supposed bad side, but are condemned to ever look on the other side. Although admitting that he is a thief, Jasper tells Charlie that he never stole anything more than he needed – ‘‘Outside of my old man’s pocket I never stole a thing I dint need. For certains. I’m talkin about food, matches, clothes sometimes, whatever. Nuthin big, ever. Nuthin people couldn’t go without’ – page 34. Jasper has morality in what he does, and certainly does not support his reputation. We believe what Jasper says because of who he is; a young man with nothing to lose as his life had already been crumbled. He has no reason to lie, and as such is a very honest person. On page 42, Charlie even says ‘‘I think he’s probably the most honest person in this town’. Additionally, Jasper’s honesty also links to his unknown trait of honour and respect for those close to him. For example, when Laura died he believed he had failed his duty to ‘protect her’, thus putting all the blame onto himself. At this time, he had been away earning money for both of them to leave town, and thus did not have much time to see her. However, it was Laura's increasing concern that he had left her, that ultimately caused her demise. Racism and Stereotypes This idea is prevalent when analyzing the character of Jeffrey Lu, Charlie’s best friend. The fact that he is a small Vietnamese boy makes him an incredibly easy victim of bullying from bigger and older kids. There are moments within the story when he is insulted and pushed around, and they are almost always whenever there are other kids around. As the story is set in the mid 1960s during the Vietnam war, it would also be no surprise if Jeffrey was picked on for his ethnicity. However, despite all this bullying Jeffrey is unflappable and always keeps a smile on his face. He doesn't ever let any mean comments or actions affect him, and he stands strong in his ethnic pride. In doing this, as a small, foreign and seemingly insignificant Vietnamese boy in Australia, he is breaking the stereotype by not giving up to the bullying. Even when Jeffrey’s father, Au Lu is beaten up by white men after being insulted with words such as ‘cong’ or ‘rat’, Jeffrey does not cower away, but instead is restricted by his mother when he tries to vengefully charge at the attackers in anger. One of the men who destroyed the Lu’s garden had lost his job due to being a drunk, yet blamed the employed An Lu for not having a job. Another act of hypocrisy occurred when a woman attacked Jeffrey’s mother after her husband died in the Vietnam War. However, the woman did not take in consideration that the Lu’s also became victims of war when their relatives were killed in Vietnam during a bombing raid. Life is a lottery In the story Charlie often questions on the fairness of life, and how life is a lottery we are most of the time unhappy with. He reflects on the privileges he has had, but believes he had taken his life for granted when he looks at the type of life that Jasper and Jeffrey has to endure. He quotes ‘How thin is the line? Is it something we all have in us? Is it just a matter of friction and pressure? Is it shit luck and a poor lot? Is it time and chance?’ However, at the end of the story he concludes that life is just unlucky when he discovers that had Eliza left Laura’s note where it was, Jasper would have never come to him for help in the first place, and he would have never been part of the problem with finding the killer of Laura Wishart. |
Explain how you feel about the major issues dealt within the novel
I feel like the major issues within the novel blend in a harmony, as each theme interconnects very well with each other and are relatable; one theme would not exist without the other. Jasper Jones addresses some of the issues that are still present today, such as the one that I believe is the most powerful: racism and stereotypes, and subsequently bullying. Racism is a growing problem in many societies today, despite not being a much discussed topic. Most of the time, Racism is a result of prejudice, which is what I believe the one theme that the book had emphasized really well. I feel that, especially through the portrayal of Jasper and Jeffrey that they were really dynamic characters who really showed a powerful view of this issue. Within the story, although the society discriminates these two characters, ultimately it is only because of their narrow mind. Despite having no knowledge on Jeffrey and Jasper’s background, the society continues to discriminate irrationally; and this is the theme that Craig Silvery wanted us readers to reflect upon. Our society is the same as the society described in Jasper Jones; one of prejudice, racism and discrimination. I believe that anyone who has read the book should be having a similar mindset to me; that we should really reflect upon our society and realise just how big the problem is today. It is an issue that needs to be addressed more often. Although bullying is talked about a lot in the present world, I believe that one of the biggest causes, racism, is not discussed as much. I believe we all know very well what bullying is, but we do not really know why it occurs. As such, I feel that if racism is addressed more often, in schools for example, then we would reveal more of the answer.
Investigate the responses of others to the classic novel you chose. Compare these to your own.
‘If we see a more entertaining heartfelt piece of Australian literature in the next 12 months, it will be a rare year indeed...’ – The Monthly
‘Impossible to put down. There’s tension, injustice, young love, hypocrisy...and above all, the certainty that SIlvey has planted himself in the landscape as one of our finest storyteller.’ – Australian Woman’s weekly
‘Jasper Jones confronts inhumanity and racism, as the stories of Mark Twain and Harper Lee did...Silvey’s voice is distinctive:astute, witty, angry, understanding and self-assured.’ – Weekend Australian.
‘Jasper Jones is a riveting tale, studded with laugh-out-loud and life-affirming moments yet underpinned by a clear-eyed examination of human weaknesses and misdemeanours.’ – Adelaide Advertiser.
I agree with these quotes from these companies, as their words generally match my review of the book. With its intense and dark moments surrounded by humour, love and a unique array of colourful characters, it is true that the book was hard to put down, even for me. It was also paced at a unique way too; rather than keep a continuous flow of events, the story started slow and easy, and then abruptly sped up as it got closer to the end, drawing the reader in. What I really enjoy about the book is how Craig Silvey managed to combine such contrasting themes into a mix, yet still make the story work in the way that things did not go out of hand. As such, we were not always focused on the idea that someone had just died, but rather we are exposed to a huge display of various and often interesting events to deter us away and ease the tension.
I feel like the major issues within the novel blend in a harmony, as each theme interconnects very well with each other and are relatable; one theme would not exist without the other. Jasper Jones addresses some of the issues that are still present today, such as the one that I believe is the most powerful: racism and stereotypes, and subsequently bullying. Racism is a growing problem in many societies today, despite not being a much discussed topic. Most of the time, Racism is a result of prejudice, which is what I believe the one theme that the book had emphasized really well. I feel that, especially through the portrayal of Jasper and Jeffrey that they were really dynamic characters who really showed a powerful view of this issue. Within the story, although the society discriminates these two characters, ultimately it is only because of their narrow mind. Despite having no knowledge on Jeffrey and Jasper’s background, the society continues to discriminate irrationally; and this is the theme that Craig Silvery wanted us readers to reflect upon. Our society is the same as the society described in Jasper Jones; one of prejudice, racism and discrimination. I believe that anyone who has read the book should be having a similar mindset to me; that we should really reflect upon our society and realise just how big the problem is today. It is an issue that needs to be addressed more often. Although bullying is talked about a lot in the present world, I believe that one of the biggest causes, racism, is not discussed as much. I believe we all know very well what bullying is, but we do not really know why it occurs. As such, I feel that if racism is addressed more often, in schools for example, then we would reveal more of the answer.
Investigate the responses of others to the classic novel you chose. Compare these to your own.
‘If we see a more entertaining heartfelt piece of Australian literature in the next 12 months, it will be a rare year indeed...’ – The Monthly
‘Impossible to put down. There’s tension, injustice, young love, hypocrisy...and above all, the certainty that SIlvey has planted himself in the landscape as one of our finest storyteller.’ – Australian Woman’s weekly
‘Jasper Jones confronts inhumanity and racism, as the stories of Mark Twain and Harper Lee did...Silvey’s voice is distinctive:astute, witty, angry, understanding and self-assured.’ – Weekend Australian.
‘Jasper Jones is a riveting tale, studded with laugh-out-loud and life-affirming moments yet underpinned by a clear-eyed examination of human weaknesses and misdemeanours.’ – Adelaide Advertiser.
I agree with these quotes from these companies, as their words generally match my review of the book. With its intense and dark moments surrounded by humour, love and a unique array of colourful characters, it is true that the book was hard to put down, even for me. It was also paced at a unique way too; rather than keep a continuous flow of events, the story started slow and easy, and then abruptly sped up as it got closer to the end, drawing the reader in. What I really enjoy about the book is how Craig Silvey managed to combine such contrasting themes into a mix, yet still make the story work in the way that things did not go out of hand. As such, we were not always focused on the idea that someone had just died, but rather we are exposed to a huge display of various and often interesting events to deter us away and ease the tension.