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Cannibalism
Cannibalism is often showed in the novel as an theme. Cannibalism is the practice of humans eating the flesh or internal
organs of other human beings. As Jan Pelgrom and Wouter Loos first come across the Black indians, they believe that they
are cannibals, in which they aren’t. They think of this because they have been passed down stories about the cannibal pot
and the black indians.
"No document accounts of Aboriginal people eating others" it's what Jan fears, but "accounts of white men eating other white men". Unfairly they see indigenous as barbaric, cannibalism is a fear that's a basis of white culture.
organs of other human beings. As Jan Pelgrom and Wouter Loos first come across the Black indians, they believe that they
are cannibals, in which they aren’t. They think of this because they have been passed down stories about the cannibal pot
and the black indians.
"No document accounts of Aboriginal people eating others" it's what Jan fears, but "accounts of white men eating other white men". Unfairly they see indigenous as barbaric, cannibalism is a fear that's a basis of white culture.
representation of stolen generation
The theme of the Stolen Generation is shown as a background into the novel as to why Aboriginals were treated poorly.
The Stolen Generation were Aboriginal children who were removed from their families by the Australian Government.
This was shown as an idea in the novel as to why the Aboriginals were treated poorly.
The Stolen Generation were Aboriginal children who were removed from their families by the Australian Government.
This was shown as an idea in the novel as to why the Aboriginals were treated poorly.
The mabo decision
The Mabo decision is an important idea as the novel was written before the Mabo decision was created. The Mabo decision was a legal case held in 1992, named after Eddie Mabo who challenged the legal system of Australia and fought for the rights of aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Before the Mabo Decision Australia was seen as "Terra Nullius" (vacant land) and the Mabo decision helped recognise it as Aboriginal land. Strange Objects was written before the Mabo Decision happened, suggesting that the Aboriginal people in the novel didn’t get to have their own chapter or story about what happened in the novel.
This is shown towards the end of the novel when Charlie Sunrise doesn’t get to have his own say and story about what happened, leaving the book a mystery.
This is shown towards the end of the novel when Charlie Sunrise doesn’t get to have his own say and story about what happened, leaving the book a mystery.
History is a living thing
Throughout the novel history is represented as a living thing that is not an object that will remain the same. In the novel when researches are attempting to solve the mystery behind the cannibal pot and it's content's, it is stated by scientists that not all history is attainable and that much is "Beyond our professional competence." What is meant by that is history is unpredictable and much of it has been lost, making jobs for historians at times near to impossible to completely discover every secret, as history is always changing.
When scientist in the novel are attempting to decipher the journal found in the pot, is is stated that due to "The research team's limited ability to translate accurately," it is difficult to get a completely accurate translation of the journal. This is an example of how often historians are unable to the get whole version of history. Because new historical evidence is constantly being found, history cannot be treated as an object, as it isn't an object.
When scientist in the novel are attempting to decipher the journal found in the pot, is is stated that due to "The research team's limited ability to translate accurately," it is difficult to get a completely accurate translation of the journal. This is an example of how often historians are unable to the get whole version of history. Because new historical evidence is constantly being found, history cannot be treated as an object, as it isn't an object.
Photo used under Creative Commons from Fabtograph